Sophomore Erika Kelly netted her first collegiate hat trick to lead the Skyhawks past #3 Bloomsburg this afternoon. (PHOTO BY Richard Orr) |
Kelly hat trick lifts Skyhawks to first win over Huskies in program history
BLOOMSBURG, Pa. (September 7, 2013) – Stonehill College, ranked 10th in the Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division II preseason coaches' poll, rode a season-opening hat trick from sophomore Erika Kelly (Watertown, Mass./Watertown) to its first win in program history over perennial national power Bloomsburg (Pa.) University, ranked third nationally, in non-conference field hockey action at Sports Stadium this afternoon.
Kelly's first career hat trick ended a string of four losses for Stonehill in the all-time series with Bloomsburg. She scored in each period of play for the Skyhawks with senior Kelsey Davis (Gardner, Mass./Gardner) and junior All-American Emily Sideris (Watertown, Mass./Watertown) collecting assists on the afternoon. Junior Elizabeth Genovese (Street, Md./North Harford) made one save in the Stonehill goal to preserve the win, with the Skyhawks posting a 12-10 edge in shots for the contest as well as an 11-9 margin for penalty corners.
Juniors Felicia Domenici (Kunkletown, Pa./Pleasant Valley) and Candice Smith (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove) each scored goals for Bloomsburg, while sophomore Meagen Hill (Gettysburg, Pa./Gettysburg) dished an assist. Senior Megan Eppley (Camp Hill, Pa./Camp Hill) finished with six saves in the Huskies goal, including five in the second half.
Stonehill never trailed in the contest with Kelly opening the scoring with a shot off a Davis penalty corner 16:48 into the game. Domenici equalized for Bloomsburg 11:17 into the second half off a pass from Hill, but Kelly reclaimed the Skyhawks lead just 21-seconds later off a feed from Sideris.
Bloomsburg forced overtime when Smith tallied an unassisted marker with 2:03 remaining in regulation, but Kelly's winner came on a breakaway from midfield 1:20 into the overtime period. The win marks Stonehill's first over a nationally-ranked opponent since a 3-1 decision over 9th-ranked Adelphi University on September 14, 2011, and its highest-ranked victory since a 2-1 triumph over No. 3 University of Massachusetts Lowell on September 10, 2009.
Stonehill (1-0, 0-0 NE-10) looks to build off the win tomorrow when it visits 9th-ranked East Stroudsburg University at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks first home game is scheduled for Thursday, September 19, when it hosts American International College for a non-conference clash at 7 p.m. Bloomsburg (0-1, 0-0 PSAC) visits East Stroudsburg on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter and Facebook. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks mobile app on iTunes and the Android Market.