Skyhawks notch key conference victory behind balanced effort

Hannah Anderson is the team's leading scorer with 35 goals.

EASTON, Mass. (April 2, 2011) – Stonehill College, currently ranked sixth in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II national poll, rolled to their ninth straight victory with a 15-6 decision over the University of New Haven in a Northeast-10 Conference matchup Saturday.

Senior Hannah Anderson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) powered the Stonehill offense with five goals and an assist, and sophomore Heather Sullivan (Andover, Mass./Andover) scored three times. The Skyhawks maintained their grip on the nation’s top defensive ranking by holding New Haven to six goals, backstopped by eight saves from sophomore goaltender Rebecca Moore (Marlborough, Mass./St. Mark's School). Senior Emily Kerwin (Bristol, R.I./Portsmouth Abbey) and sophomore Emily Gehrdes (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis) led Stonehill with three caused turnovers each.

Anderson converted an early free-position shot to put Stonehill on the board after only 30 seconds, and the Skyhawks went on to score four of their seven first-half goals on free position attempts. New Haven’s Alexis Gabbe (Malverne, N.Y./Malverne) and Sarah Magnone (Yardley, Pa./Villa Joseph Marie) netted a pair for the Chargers to pull within three goals midway through the half, but the Skyhawks kept up the pressure early to post a 17-9 advantage in shots and a 7-2 lead at the break.

Emily Kerwin caused three turnovers as the Stonehill defense allowed a single-digit goal total for the eighth time in nine games.

Stonehill continued to dominate possession in the second half as Anderson found the back of the net three more times and freshman Kelsey Shannahan (Mendham, N.J./Morris Catholic) picked up three points on a goal and two assists, along with four ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers. Gabbe netted two for the Chargers to finish with three goals on the day, and New Haven tallied four goals in the second half but were doubled up by eight from the Skyhawks, who remain tied atop the conference standings with a 6-0 record in conference games.

Prior to the game, Stonehill and New Haven joined more than 60 teams across Divisions I, II, and III in support of the Lax-4-Life suicide awareness and prevention initiative established in 2009 by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.

Stonehill (9-0, 6-0 NE-10) is back at home on Wednesday to host Franklin Pierce University at 3:30 p.m.