Sophomore Erika Kelly scored her fifth hat trick of the year and broke the program's single-season record for goals as she finished with 22 on the night. (PHOTO BY Emily Reynolds)

Kelly breaks single-season goals record with fifth hat trick performance

EASTON, Mass. (October 9, 2013) – Stonehill College, ranked fourth in this week's Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division II poll, notched its fifth comeback win of the season to extend its program-best season opening winning streak to 11 games with a 4-3 triumph over Saint Anselm College in Northeast-10 Conference field hockey action at Timothy J. Coughlin Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium tonight.

Sophomore forward Erika Kelly (Watertown, Mass./Watertown) notched her fifth hat trick of the season and in the process set a new single-season program record for goals, finishing with a Division II leading 22 markers in ten games played this season. She surpassed the previous record of 20 goals set by Claire Hourihan, '10, in 2008 and matched in 2009. Kelly's Division II best 45 points are now just three shy of Hourihan's single-season scoring record of 48 in 2008. She also sets her sights on the NE-10 single-season record of 30 goals set by Bentley University's Jen Bunce in 1998 and matched three times in recent years.

Sophomore Maggie Travers (Scituate, Mass./Scituate) capped the Stonehill comeback with a goal. Junior Elizabeth Genovese (Street, Md./North Harford) posted three second half saves to hold Saint Anselm scoreless over the final 35 minutes. Stonehill finished with a 26-8 advantage for shots in the contest and an 11-3 edge in penalty corners.

Sophomore Maggie Travers scored the gamewinning goal midway through the second half. (PHOTO BY Emily Reynolds)

Senior Elizabeth Sears (Danvers, Mass./Bishop Fenwick) scored two goals to lead Saint Anselm, which had entered the game with back to back shutout victories. Sophomore Canada Stewart (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) contributed a goal and assist, while classmate Meagan Halligan (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) dished out two assists.

Freshman Katherine Sears (Northboro, Mass./Algonquin) recorded a season-high ten saves in just her second collegiate game played for Saint Anselm.

Saint Anselm scored on its first three shots of the game to highlight a string of five goals by both teams over the opening 18 minutes. Sears struck first 7:14 into the contest when she fired a shot from the top center of the scoring arc off a corner by Halligan. Kelly struck right back for Stonehill with her first marker of the night 59-seconds later when she knocked in a loose ball from the right side during a scramble with her 20^th goal of the year to match Hourihan's single-season record.

Saint Anselm fired back with two straight goals to open a two goal cushion. Stewart one-timed a drive from the right side by Halligan at the far post for her first goal of the year at 12:09. Stewart then set up Sears' second of the night with a pass from the left side for a shot from the center of the scoring area at 16:39.

Stonehill drew back within a goal less than two minutes later on Kelly's record-breaking 21^st goal of the year on a low angle shot from the left side inside the right post at 18:09. The Skyhawks kept the pressure on in the second half and was able to level the score for a second time with Kelly's third of the night at 49:32 when she broke up a clearance and fired a laser from the left side past Sears and into the right side of the cage. Travers added the winning goal just over three minutes later off another failed clear with a blast from the left side at the top of the arc at 52:46.

Kelly has now totaled 30 goals in 29 career games played, which ranks sixth on the program's career list – just one behind former All-American Jackie Ladino, '10. Kelly's 63 career points are good for ninth all-time at Stonehill.

Stonehill (11-0, 4-0 NE-10) is right back in action here at W.B. Mason Stadium on Saturday when it hosts Adelphi University for an NE-10 matchup at noon. Saint Anselm (4-6, 2-3 NE-10) hosts Mercy College for a non-conference matchup on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

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