Smith scored a second half hat trick and broke the NE10's single-season scoring record in the process. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
Skyhawks win tenth straight as Smith snaps NE10 scoring mark
EASTON, Mass. (October 18, 2017) – Stonehill College, ranked No. 6 in this week's Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division II poll, rode a second half hat trick from junior All-American Kacie Smith (Norwood, Massachusetts/Norwood) to its tenth-straight win with a 4-2 triumph over Merrimack College in Northeast-10 Conference field hockey action on Timothy J. Coughlin, '80 Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium tonight.
Smith's eighth hat trick of the season gives her 85 points, breaking the NE10 single-season record of 82 points by LIU Post's Keliann Margiotta in 2014 and ranks third on the NCAA Division II all-time single-season scoring list – 17 points shy of the Division II record of 102 points by Jamie Vanartsdalen from Bloomsburg (Pa.) University in 2008. Smith's three goals tonight give her 34 for the season, which leads all three levels of NCAA field hockey, is within four goals of Erika Kelly '16's single-season program and NE10 record of 38 in 2013 and six goals shy of Vanartsdalen's NCAA II single-season mark of 40 in 2008. It marks Smith's ninth multi-goal game of the year and her 13th-straight game with a goal, having scored at least once in 14 of the Skyhawks' 15 games this year.
Junior Carly Andersen (Cheshire, Connecticut/Canterbury School) contributed a goal for Stonehill, while classmate Sara Freedman (Hopkinton, Massachusetts/Hopkinton) made six of her 11 saves in the second half to preserve the win. The Skyhawks recorded a 24-17 advantage for shots in the contest, while Merrimack held an 8-2 edge in penalty corners.
Freshmen Colleen Ellis (Westford, Massachusetts/Westford) and Serena Rousseau (Plaistow, New Hampshire/Central Catholic) netted goals for Merrimack. Sophomore Katharina Ohmen (Bremen, Germany) also registered 11 saves in the Warriors cage.
Merrimack jumped in front on a two on one counter attack 8:07 into the game, when Ellis tipped a pass from the left side by senior Mikayla Penneton (Andover, Massachusetts/Andover) into the cage for her third goal of the year. Stonehill equalized 6:09 before halftime when Andersen poked her own rebound over the goal line during a scrum in front of the goal for her 13th goal of the season.
Andersen scored her 13th of the season to spark the Skyhawks four goal run. (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix) |
Smith took care of things from there, scoring three-straight goals within a 12-minute span in the second half. She took a pass from midfield, broke past two defenders and fired a low shot to the left side of the goal for her first goal of the night at 52:05. Six minutes later, she similarly broke past two defenders on a counter, deked the goalie and slotted her second goal into an open cage at 58:30 for her NE10 record 83rd point of the year. Smith capped her hat trick with 5:29 remaining when she popped a loose ball by the goalie for her 34th goal of the year.
Merrimack capped the scoring with 3:39 to play as Rousseau pushed a rebound over the goal line for her second goal of the season.
Stonehill (12-3, 9-0 NE10) continues its three game home stand on Saturday, when it hosts No. 8 Pace University for another key NE10 battle at W.B. Mason Stadium on Senior Day, as part of Family Weekend at the College, at 1 p.m. Merrimack (9-5, 5-4 NE10) visits American International College on Saturday at 7 p.m.
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