Sophomore Kathryn Nelson opened the scoring with her first half goal to put Stonehill in front. |
#5 UMass Lowell Stuns #3 Stonehill, 2-1
Macy nets deciding goal with 1:46 to play to lift River Hawks to third-straight final
EASTON, Mass. (November 13, 2009) - Third-seeded University of Massachusetts Lowell, ranked fifth in the final regular season Kookaburra/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division II poll, scored with 1:46 to play to claim a 2-1 victory over top-seeded, 3rd-ranked and host Stonehill College in semifinal round action of the 2009 NCAA Division II Field Hockey Championships in front of 1,243 at W.B. Mason Stadium this evening.
UMass Lowell (18-5, 7-3 NE-10) will make its fifth appearance in the national championship game in program history in search of its second championship. The River Hawks will square off against top-ranked and three-time defending national champions Bloomsburg University (21-1, 7-1 PSAC-East) for the third-straight year in the final. The Huskies will be seeking their 13th Division II title (16th overall) after advancing with a 4-2 victory over second-seeded and No. 2-ranked Shippensburg University (20-3, 7-0 PSAC-West) in today's first semifinal.
"It was the biggest and loudest crowd we have ever played in front of," said UMass Lowell head coach Shannon Hlebichuk of the crowd of over 1,200. "It's the type of atmosphere you want for a game like this between two Northeast-10 rivals. It was cool to be a part of and a great experience for the teams."
Stonehill closes out its season with a 17-5 record overall, 9-1 in Northeast-10 play to claim its second regular season championship in program history. The Skyhawks were making their third appearance in the NCAA Tournament and second in the semifinal round.
Junior Lindsay Pinkham set up the Skyhawk goal with a pass from beyond the top of the arc. |
"When we made the semifinals our freshman year (2006) we thought we would be right back," said senior All-American and tri-captain Jackie Ladino (North Dartmouth, Mass./Dartmouth). "It took us until now to do it, but this is a young team and I know (they) will be back. It has been an honor to be a part of this team and to be a part of what I know will be a growing dynasty. They will be back."
Junior Sammy Macy (Tewksbury, Mass./Tewksbury) scored the deciding goal with just 1:46 remaining to cap a UMass Lowell rally from a goal down with two second half goals. Macy stepped past a Stonehill defender and fired a blast from the top of the arc into the center of the goal for her 24th goal of the season - eighth game-winner.
"We knew it was our opportunity to go ahead," said Hlebichuk. "Great players always want that chance with the ball on their stick and the game on the line and it was a great shot."
Junior goalkeeper Amy Carbon (Bellingham, Mass./Bellingham) made five saves (three first half) to give UML the chance for the comeback. The River Hawks finished with a 13-7 advantage in shots for the game, including a 9-3 edge in the second half. Junior Courtney Osier (South Dennis, Mass./Dennis-Yarmouth) posted three stops in goal for Stonehill who posted a slim 9-8 edge in penalty corners.
Sophomore Kathryn Nelson (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) opened the scoring at the 20:24-mark of the first half when she guided a pass from beyond the top of the circle by junior Lindsay Pinkham (Skowhegan, Maine/Skowhegan Area) past Carbon for her 11th goal of the season.
"I thought we were dominating and sustaining our attack but the ball didn't bounce our way," said Stonehill head coach Shelly Morris, the NE-10 Coach of the Year. "We were pressuring the goal and probably should have had a second before halftime. When (UMass Lowell) scored to make it 1-1 it took the wind out of our sails a little bit."
UMass Lowell went two players down late in the first half with a pair of yellow cards in the final 6:20 of the stanza. The River Hawks were still one down when senior Jaci Moulton (Baldwinville, Mass./Narragansett) tipped in a loose ball on the far post off a rebound 3:15 into the second half to tie the score.
"It was an evenly matched game between two great NE-10 programs," said Hlebichuk. "Momentum certainly changed with that goal a player down."
