New Britain, CT - No. 2 seed Monmouth University upset top-seeded Central Connecticut State University 1-0 in overtime on Sunday to capture the 2009 Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament Title. MU forward Mary Wilks (Bridgeton, NJ/Bridgeton) scored the game-winner and her league-leading 13th goal on the season. She was named NEC Tournament MVP for her efforts.

Neither team could find the back of the net through 90 minutes of regulation play, but it didn't take long for the Hawks to net a score against CCSU when the whistle blew to start the first overtime period. Wilks received a through-ball pass on the right side of the field from senior Alessandra DeTata (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) who collected the ball just inside midfield. Wilks used her tremendous speed to dribble past a CCSU defender and finish the ball high over keeper Caity Casey’s (Guilford, CT/Branford) head into the back left side of the net with just 1:02 gone in the first overtime period. The goal marked Wilks’ second game-winner of the tournament.

Both teams had chances to take the lead in the first two periods as MU had 13 total shots, five on goal, and CCSU had 12, seven on goal; however, neither could capitalize on any of them.

All-NEC first-team goalkeeper junior Lia Fierro (South Mills, NJ/Millburn) made three saves in net for the Hawks to preserve the shutout, posting her second of the postseason and 14th on the season, just one behind the MU all-time record of 15. Casey, an all-tournament selection also notched three saves and finished the season with six shutouts.

MU held an edge in corner kicks 5-2, and CCSU committed 14 fouls, including two yellow cards, to MU's 12 fouls.