Skyhawks Claim Ninth Straight NE-10 Championship, 17-10

Boxscore

Easton, Mass. - The Stonehill College Women's Lacrosse team (14-3, 10-0 Northeast-10 Conference) closed out their season with the program's ninth consecutive Northeast-10 Conference Championship after defeating the Southern N.H. Penmen (12-6, 9-1 Northeast-10 Conference), 17-10 on Sunday. Amanda McGeachey (Saco, Maine/Thornton) took home Tournament Most Valuable Player honors after registering 12 saves in the Skyhawks' win.  

An aggressive defense and three timely goals from Southern N.H.'s Laura Rotolo, Carole Lee and Nicole Downey helped the Penmen to an early 3-1 lead. SNHU's advantage lasted deep into the first half as goaltender Katie Clark collected five of her 13 total saves.  

With 9:48 remaining in the opening the frame Stonehill's offense took control.  Liza Gross (Loudonville, N.Y./Shaker) was one of three Skyhawks to add two goals before halftime to help the Purple and White to a 10-3 advantage.  Sophomore Jackie Ladino (North Dartmouth, Mass./North Dartmouth) and junior Mary Maloney (Great River, N.Y./Saint Anthony's) each add two goals, as well.  Michelle Kelly (Mendham, N.J./West Morris Mendham) added two scores to her earlier marker to cap Stonehill's 9-0 run.

Senior Kristin Darrell (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) scored during a 4-1 run to open the second half and give Stonehill a 10-goal advantage.  Southern N.H.'s Lee narrowed the deficient to 15-7 with three of the next four goals.  After a late score from Stonehill's Kelly, the Penmen's Rotolo, Julie Kraus and Libby Parent cut Stonehill's lead to just seven.  A final goal from Gross secured the victory for the Skyhawks.

Kelly led the way for the Skyhawks with five goals and an assist for six total points.  Ladino, Gross and Darrell each claimed four totals points and combined for nine of Stonehill's 17 goals.  Maloney, a junior, finished with three goals, while Christa LaRocco (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip), a senior, registered three assists in the win.

McGeachey stopped 12 shots on her way to claiming Tournament MVP.  The senior goaltender allowed just three goals on free-position shots, including holding SNHU to a 2-6 mark in the second half. McGeachey also was 6-7 on clear opportunities, claimed one ground ball and caused a Southern N.H. turnover in net.  Her 34 career victories rank third on Stonehill's all-time list.

Darrell finished the year with 241 goals, 14 more than Erin Acone's (2003-2006) second place mark (227). Her 309 career points are third all-time in Stonehill College history.

Kelly, a junior, finished 2008 with a career high 91 points.  She will enter her senior year fourth on Stonehill's all-time scoring list (165), tied for sixth on the all-time assists list (71), and fifth in total points (236).