BALTIMORE, Md., September 18, 2021 – Luana Grabias netted three of the Mustangs' seven goals on Saturday, helping lead the No. 8 Monroe College Mustangs women's soccer team to a 7-0 shutout victory over Div. II No. 14 CCBC Essex. The Mustangs improve to 4-1 on the season with their fourth straight win, while the Knights fall to 5-2.
 
­­The Mustangs got the scoring started in the ninth minute of the game when Nicole Santos netted one off a slight deflection, giving Monroe the early 1-0 edge. The Mustangs then doubled the lead at the 15:59 mark when Grabias potted one off an assist from Angela Hernandez. The lead became three in the 31st minute when Yeymily Conde got on the board, eventually sending the game to the half with a 3-0 score in favor of the visiting Mustangs.
 
Grabias scored her second of the game in the 55th minute to improve the lead to four, then followed that up in the 61st minute with her third of the day to complete the hat trick and put the Mustangs up, 5-0. Shortly after, Nyah Hood got on the board in the 64th minute to push the lead to six, and then Julia Howard picked one up in the 78th minute to cap off the 7-0 victory.
 
Stefane Rosa needed just two saves to earn her third shutout of the season and improve her record to 4-0 on the year. CCBC Essex keeper Sydney Baker allowed seven goals with seven saves to take the loss.
 
Grabias' three goals push her season total to eight through five games, as well as 18 points on the season, both of which lead the team so far in 2021. Hood is up to four goals on the year now, while Howard picked up her third of the season in the win.
 
The Mustangs were dominant throughout the contest, outshooting their hosts, 25-2, including a 15-2 edge in shots on goal. Corner kicks also went the way of the Mustangs, who held a 9-0 advantage in the game.
 
Monroe will continue to test itself next week with a challenging road trip out to Kansas. The Mustangs will first visit No. 16 Cowley College in Arkansas City, Kan., on Wednesday, Sept. 22, at 6 p.m. They will follow that up on Friday, Sept. 24, when they trek over to Coffeyville, Kan., to take on Coffeyville Community College, which received votes in the most recent NJCAA Div. I Women's Soccer Rankings.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 39 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, the Monroe College marching band, and the newly added esports and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 18 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 Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).