STONEHILL FIELD HOCKEY
2005 Northeast-10 Conference Championship
Sunday, October 30, 2005
Cushing Field, Lowell, Mass.
FINAL:STONEHILL 2, UMASS LOWELL 1 (OVERTIME)
12OTTotal
Stonehill (18-2)101- 2
UMass Lowell (18-3)100- 1
SCORING SUMMARY
STO:Caitlin Gleason (Kelly Latendresse)4:49 1st
UML:Taylor Kloss (PENALTY STROKE)18:11 1st
STO:Aly Boulis (Latendresse)83:08 OT
GOALIE SAVES
STO:Dani Ryder9
UML:Nicole Staiti8
LOWELL, Mass.-- Tournament Most Valuable Player Aly Bouliss (Lincoln, R.I.) goal 13:08 into overtime lifted sixth-ranked and second-seeded Stonehill to its first-ever Northeast-10 Conference Field Hockey championship with a 2-1 victory over third-ranked and top-seeded UMass Lowell in the 2005 title match played Sunday afternoon at UMass Lowells Cushing Field.
Boulis converted a pass from junior All-America Kelly Latendresse (Sidney, Maine) off a scramble in front of the cage to net the golden goal for the visiting Skyhawks, who improve to 18-2 overall and extend their school-record winning streak to 14 straight. The host River Hawks, who fall to 18-3 overall and saw their school-record winning streak end at 16 straight, had the apparent game-winning goal in the first minute of overtime disallowed due to an administrative timing error by the on-field game officials, and Stonehill used a 6-2 shots advantage and a 5-2 edge in penalty corners to apply pressure that led to Bouliss game-winning tally, her 10th goal of the season.
Stonehill had taken a 1-0 lead just 4:49 into the contest when sophomore Caitlin Gleason (New Boston, N.H.) took a Latendresse feed in front of the net and scored her 13th goal of the season, but UMass Lowell evened matters in the 18th minute of play when the Skyhawks were called for an illegal touch in the goal area that enabled River Hawk senior Taylor Kloss (Georgetown, Mass.) to convert a game-tying penalty stroke. The host controlled the play for the final 17 minutes of the first half in holding a 13-2 shots advantage, but Stonehill sophomore keeper Dani Ryder (Gloucester, Mass.) made six saves in the opening half and Skyhawk senior Lindsay Breen (North Andover, Mass.) added a defensive save to keep the score tied.
Stonehill outshot UMass Lowell by a 15-7 margin after intermission and held a 12-5 edge in penalty corners over the last 48:08 of action, as both teams had goals disallowed from outside the circle. River Hawk junior keeper Nicole Staiti (Barre, Mass.) made five saves in the second half and three more in the overtime period, including a pair of point blank stops on Gleason and Boulis in the extra session, and the hosts received three defensive saves on the day, including a pair from junior Kim Villare (Chelmsford, Mass.).
Ryder finished the day with nine saves in picking up her 18th win of the season in goal for Stonehill, as Staiti made all eight of her saves in the second half and overtime periods for UMass Lowell as the River Hawks held a 20-17 advantage in shots on goal for the contest. The win avenges the Skyhawks last setback prior to their current 14-match winning streak, as UMass Lowell posted a 3-2 win over Stonehill in the only regular season meeting between the two teams back on September 14th at Cushing Field.
Im extremely proud of the way we kept fighting back in the first half, because I think that really set the tempo for the way we came out for the rest of the match, Stonehill Head Coach Pam Arpe said following the victory. I couldnt be prouder of my team and more happier for my two seniorsthis is a special moment for them.
Stonehill will await word of selection to the six-team field for the 2005 NCAA Division II Field Hockey Championships, as complete pairings will be announced for this years tournament on Monday afternoon.
SKYHAWK TALK: Field Hockey became the 10th program in Stonehill history to earn a Northeast-10 tournament championship, joining the Skyhawk mens & womens cross country, mens & womens soccer, mens & womens basketball, baseball, womens lacrosse and womens tennis squads in that clubStonehill extended its school single-season win total to 18 with todays triumphThe Skyhawks have allowed one or fewer goals in 18 of their 20 contests to date, as Stonehill has more wins (18) than goals allowed (16) on the seasonRyder picked up her 31st career triumph in goal.