Sport Shorts

Freehold's Vicki Ahlers, a freshman at Ramapo College, Mahwah, was named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week for field hockey. Ahlers, a forward, registered five points in Ramapo's two wins, 4-1 over FDU-Florham and 8-2 over Richard Stockton College. Ahlers is tied for sixth in the NJAC in goals scored with seven. Ahlers is a graduate of Freehold High School, Freehold Borough, where she was one of the cornerstones on the 2007 Colonials who won the school's first field hockey state sectional title. Freehold advanced to the state Group III final that year. Ahlers, an All-Monmouth County and All- Shore Conference pick, was a team captain in 2008.

Howell's Lindsey Lambert is the top runner on the Loch Haven (Pa.) University women's cross country team. Lambert, a sophomore, earned All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and All-Region honors for the Lady Eagles as a freshman. It was the best season in school history.

This fall, Lambert, a Howell High School graduate, picked up where she left off in 2008. She was eighth at the Dolan Duals, second at the Loch Haven Invitational, which was won by the Lady Eagles, seventh at the Mansfield Mountaineer Flatland Invitational, which was also won by Loch Haven, 13th at the Paul Short Invitational, and 32nd at the Penn State National Invitational. Lambert was the top finisher for the Lady Eagles in every event, with the exception of the Flatland Invitational.

The PSAC Championships will be held on Oct. 31 at Edinboro University. Lambert was ninth last year and earned All-PSAC recognition. Mansfield is hosting the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Championships on Nov. 7.

Lambert also had a big freshman season in track, finishing second in the 5K, third in the 10K, and seventh in the 3K at the PSAC Championships.

The Monmouth University men's soccer team is reaching greater heights each week. The Hawks, who earlier this season became the first Monmouth University sports team to garner a top 10 national ranking, has moved up to No. 7 in the most recent NSCAA/adidas national poll. The Hawks are 13-1-1 and in first place in the Northeast Conference.

Freshman standout Ryan Clark, a midfielder from Freehold Township High School, has twice been named the NEC Rookie of the Week, is second on the team in scoring with 14 points on five goals and four assists, and is tied for the team lead in game-winning goals with four.

Former Manalapan High School standout George Quintano, a sophomore forward, has contributed a goal, and freshman Cody Calafiore, from Howell High School, has two assists for Monmouth.

The Hawks will close out the regular season with home matches in West Long Branch against NEC foes Central Connecticut State (Oct. 30 at 3 p.m.), Quinnipiac (Nov. 1 at 1 p.m.) and Mount St. Mary's (Nov. 6 at 3 p.m.)