Conte backbones strong defensive effort for second career shutout

Conte posted her second shutout of the season with four saves (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

EASTON, Mass. (October 6, 2023) – Stonehill College was fueled by a strong defensive performance in securing its first Northeast Conference win of the season with a 1-0 triumph over Long Island University in field hockey action on Timothy J. Coughlin, '80 Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium this afternoon.

Highlights

• Junior goalkeeper Shannon Conte registered four saves, including four in the fourth quarter, to preserve Stonehill's one-goal lead and post the second shutout of her collegiate career – both coming in the Skyhawks two wins this season.
• Conte backboned Stonehill's outstanding defensive effort that limited LIU to seven shots, and defended five penalty corners, which included fifth-year Andrea Caradonna, senior Madeleine McGee and sophomore Madison Darmstadt as the Skyhawks backline unit.
• Freshman Tyra Stark provided all the offense Stonehill would need, netting her second goal of the season off one of the Skyhawks three penalty corners.
• Junior Fleur Hofman finished with one save in the LIU cage.

Stark's second goal of the season gave the Skyhawks the lead (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

How It Happened

• Conte had two saves in the opening quarter as LIU registered a 3-1 edge in shots for the opening frame.
• Stark pushed Stonehill in front with her second goal of the year 8:54 into the second quarter when she drove the ball from just inside the top of the arc into the left side of the goal. Seniors Claudia Crowe and Erin Heffernan delivered assists on the corner with Crowe inserting to Heffernan's stop at the top of the arc before sliding the ball to Stark for the goal.
• Conte and the Stonehill backline did the rest as she finished off the shutout with two fourth quarter saves, both coming on LIU corner attempts.

Noteworthy

• Crowe shares the NEC lead with her six assists this season after her corner insertion in the second quarter. She has at least one assist in four of the last six games (1 goal, 5 assists in this stretch).
• Conte, who registered her first career shutout and Stonehill's first at the NCAA Division I level at Queens University of Charlotte last month, adds the first Skyhawks shutout in NEC play this afternoon.
• Stonehill picks up its first win over LIU since the Sharks were LIU Post at the NCAA Division II level in 2018 when the Skyhawks rolled to a 7-1 triumph in a Northeast-10 Conference Quarterfinal. Stonehill now holds a 12-10 edge in 22 all-time meetings between the two, having now split the two meetings in the NEC.
• Stark is tied for second on the team with her two goals, along with Crowe.
• Crowe has dished out 12 assists in her 44 career games played, including her career-high six this season.

Up Next

Stonehill (2-9, 1-1 NEC) is right back in action on Sunday, when it visits Rider University for an NEC clash at noon. The Skyhawks next home game is Sunday, October 15, when they host Colgate University at Northeastern University's Dedham Field in Dedham, Massachusetts, at noon, while returning to W.B. Mason Stadium on Sunday, October 22, to host Saint Francis University for an NEC matchup at noon. LIU (307, 1-1 NEC) hosts Merrimack College on Sunday at noon.

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