CATONSVILLE, Md., November 9, 2019 – The No. 1-ranked Monroe College Mustangs women's soccer team's NJCAA Championship defense is officially in full-swing, as the Mustangs defeated No. 12 CCBC-Essex on Saturday in the Northeast District Championship game, 6-1, sending the Mustangs to the 2019 NJCAA Div. I Women's Soccer Championship. Monroe earns its second straight District title and now has a chance to win its second consecutive NJCAA National Championship.
 
The Mustangs return to the national tournament on the longest active winning streak in the NJCAA. Monroe's last loss came at the end of the 2017 season. The Mustangs then went unbeaten in 2018 with a 16-0-1 record, and now stand at 11-0 overall in 2019.
 
The Mustangs did not get off to as quick of a start as they had probably hoped to, but it was no matter, as they got on the board first in the 25th minute on a goal by leading scorer Sydoney Clarke. Luana Grabias then made it a 2-0 game with a goal at the 41:14 mark, sending the game to the half with the Mustangs on top, 2-0.
 
The Mustangs broke it open early in the second half with three goals in four minutes. Regina Fiabema netted the first at the 52:24 mark to make it a 3-0 game. Clarke then picked up back-to-back goals in the 54th and 57th minutes to complete a hat trick and put the Mustangs ahead by five. She added her fourth of the day at 64:34 to give the Mustangs a commanding 6-0 edge. CCBC-Essex's Taylor West ended Monroe's shutout with a goal at 89:03, but that was all the Knights could produce as the Mustangs rolled to a 6-1 victory.
 
Goalkeeper Stefane Rosa stopped six shots and allowed just the one late goal to improve to 11-0 on the season. CCBC-Essex's Sam Tornatore yielded six goals and made seven saves in the loss.
 
Clarke's four goals improve her total to a team-leading 29 for the season, and ups her point total to 66 in 11 games. Saturday was her eighth multi-goal game of the season, and she has scored in all but one contest. Grabias' goal in the win puts her at 20 for the year, as well as 48 total points.
 
The Mustangs will now have a week to prepare for the 2019 NJCAA Div. I Women's Soccer Championship, which will be hosted by Eastern Florida State College at Orlando Health Stadium in Melbourne, Fla. All eyes will be on the Mustangs, who have never wavered as the favorites for the 2019 National Championship. The pools for the pool-play round of the national tournament, as well as the schedules, will be announced during the upcoming week.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 31 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 12 teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe College Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).