Smith broke a pair of single-season program records and finished with a goal and three assists today. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
Smith breaks pair of single-season program records with five point day
MANCHESTER, N.H. (October 14, 2017) – Stonehill College, ranked No. 9 in this week's Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division II poll, overcame a three-goal deficit in the first half to claim a 4-3 triumph over Southern New Hampshire University in Northeast-10 Conference women's tennis action at Larkin Field this afternoon.
Junior All-American Kacie Smith (Norwood, Massachusetts/Norwood) had a hand in all four Stonehill goals, scoring one and assisting on the other three, breaking a pair of single-season program records in the process to lead the Skyhawks to their ninth-straight win. Smith first surpassed Kelly Latendresse, '07's single-season assist record (14) with her first assist of the afternoon, finishing the day with 17. The NCAA all-divisions leader in scoring, goals and assists, finished the game with 79 points, also breaking the previous school single-season mark of 78 by Erika Kelly, '16 in 2013, while Smith's 31 goals are seven shy of Kelly's single-season record.
Senior forward Alexandria Sylvia (Brockton, Massachusetts/Brockton) scored a pair of goals for Stonehill, while sophomore back Michaela Antonellis (Watertown, Massachusetts/Watertown) contributed a goal and assist. Junior goalkeeper Sara Freedman (Hopkinton, Massachusetts/Hopkinton) finished with eight saves in the Skyhawks goal, including the 300th of her career to become the fourth goalkeeper in program history to reach the plateau.
Sophomore Laura van der Doorn (Beverwijk, The Netherlands) scored two goals to lead Southern New Hampshire, while freshman Helene Servais (Brussels, Belgium) chipped in a marker. Junior Melanie Rennie (Madison, Connecticut/Daniel Hand) finished with six saves in the second half as Stonehill outshot the Penmen 15-6 in the half, while senior Alexis Soucy (Windsor, Maine/Erskine Academy) made two saves in the first half.
Senior Alexandria Sylvia netted a pair of goals, including the gamewinner. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
SNHU jumped out to a two goal lead just ten and a half minutes into the contest as van der Doorn scored both of her goals, opening with a penalty stroke 7:23 in, and then added a second off a corner three minutes later when she redirected a pass from senior Erin Frost (East Andover, New Hampshire/Merrimack Valley) for her fifth goal of the year at 10:34. Servais extended the Penmen lead to three goals with her fifth of the year on a blast from the right side off a feed from junior Maddie Holt (Seabrook, New Hampshire/Winnacunnet) at 20:15.
Smith got Stonehill on the scoreboard a minute and a half later when she tipped in a drive from the left side by Antonellis at 21:59. Sylvia pulled the Skyhawks back within a goal 3:01 before the intermission when she scored her first of the game off a pass from Smith.
Antonellis drew Stonehill level 6:58 into the second half with her fourth goal of the year with a drive into the left side off a pass from Smith. Sylvia's eighth goal of the year proved to be the gamewinner five minutes later when she took a Smith pass and scored off a deflection at 46:41. Freedman preserved the win from there, with three saves down the stretch, including her eighth of the day with 30-seconds left on a shot by Servais.
Stonehill (11-3, 8-0 NE10) returns to action on Wednesday, when it hosts No. 10 Merrimack College at W.B. Mason Stadium at 7 p.m. Southern New Hampshire (5-8, 2-7 NE10) hosts Saint Anselm College on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
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