Drexel Defeats Top-Seeded Monmouth to Capture 2025 CAA Championship, 3-2

Sunday, November 9

West Long Branch, N.J.

12:00 p.m.

Drexel University

(13-7, 3-2)

Monmouth University

(13-4, 5-0)

Drexel

Monmouth University

Drexel Defeats Top-Seeded Monmouth to Capture 2025 CAA Championship, 3-2

11/9/2025 2:16:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Drexel field hockey captured the CAA Championship with a 3–2 victory over top-seeded Monmouth on Sunday afternoon, earning the program's first conference title since 2012. The Dragons built a multi-goal lead, and stopped a late push by Monmouth to clinch the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Valentine Van Hellemont was named CAA Tournament MVP after totaling four points across the semifinal and championship rounds. Natali Foster, Marti Sanabria and Anna Castaldo were each selected to the CAA All-Tournament Team for their performances throughout the weekend.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Drexel generated the first dangerous look of the afternoon when Pili Lemoine pushed a shot just wide in the opening minutes, setting an early attacking tone. Monmouth countered late in the first with a transition push inside the final minute, but Foster swept in with a clean open-field steal to keep the match scoreless. The Dragons broke through in the 19th minute when Foster finished at the left post on a penalty-corner sequence created by clean feeds from Van Hellemont and Lemoine. Drexel then closed the half with critical defensive work, denying back-to-back Monmouth corners, including a key save from Halle Geiger, to preserve a 1–0 halftime advantage.

Monmouth leveled the match early in the third, but Drexel responded quickly. Van Hellemont scored in the 35th minute off a penalty corner to restore the Drexel lead, and moments later the Dragons extended the margin to 3–1 when Ryan Hickey finished a setup from Van Hellemont. Drexel continued to withstand Monmouth's pressure, stopping a corner with three minutes left in the third. Early in the fourth, Monmouth pushed forward again, earning a corner that drifted wide, and later cut the deficit to 3–2 on a 53rd-minute strike. The Hawks pulled their goalkeeper with just over three minutes remaining, but Drexel's backline held steady through the final sequence to secure the championship.

BY THE NUMBERS
– Drexel wins the CAA Championship for the first time since 2012
– It will be Drexel's third NCAA Tournament appearance. The program earned an at-large bid in 2009 after finishing the season with a 19-4.
– Goals: Foster, Van Hellemont, Hickey
– Assists: Van Hellemont (3), Lemoine (2)
– Geiger recorded five saves
– Drexel held a 12–11 edge in shots and an 8–7 advantage in shots on goal
– Dragons converted twice on six penalty corners

NCAA TOURNAMENT
The Dragons are set to appear in their third NCAA Tournament and will find out their opponent on Sunday night at 10 p.m. during the NCAA Selection Show. Fans can view the selection show on NCAA.com.