Junior forward Craig Moreau's goal in the 73rd minute capped off Stonehill's 3-0 victory over Assumption tonight.

Skyhawks advance to tomorrow's championship match against host Saint Michael's

COLCHESTER, Vt. (September 5, 2014) – The Stonehill College men's soccer team opened its 2014 campaign with a 3-0 shutout victory over Assumption College this evening in first round action of the Catholic Cup at Duffy Field on the campus of Saint Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont.

The Skyhawks took a 1-0 lead in the 24^th minute on an Assumption own goal, as a Greyhound defender headed a corner kick taken by Stonehill junior midfielder Richard Aprile (Carmel, New York/Kennedy Catholic) past junior goalkeeper Dana King (Windham, Maine/Windham) and into the net. The Skyhawks held a 9-3 advantage in corner kicks in the game, including 8-1 in the first half.

Stonehill doubled its lead in the 37^th minute, when freshman midfielder Connor O'Brien (Schenectady, New York/Guilderland Central) collected classmate James O'Shea's (Quincy, Massachusetts/Quincy) pass from the left flank and beat King with a shot inside the right post. Junior forward Drew Montano (Avon, Connecticut/Avon) also earned an assist on the play.

Junior forward Craig Moreau (Gray, Maine/Gray-New Gloucester) provided some insurance in the 73^rd minute, as he found the back of the net with the help of sophomore back Patrick Keogh (Garden City, New York/Garden City).

Junior goalkeeper Luke Besse (Hamilton, Massachusetts/Hamilton-Wenham Regional), who was making his first start in goal since 2012, made a pair of saves en route to his first career shutout. Besse was aided by a strong defensive effort in front of him, as the Skyhawks allowed just one shot in the first half and six total.

With the win, Stonehill (1-0, 0-0 Northeast-10) advances to tomorrow's Catholic Cup championship match, where the Skyhawks will take on host Saint Michael's at 3:30 p.m. Assumption (0-1, 0-0 NE-10) will play Saint Anselm College in the consolation game at 1 p.m.

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