Strong second half lifts Skyhawks

Hannah Anderson (above) and Sam Lynott (right) led Stonehill with four goals each.

MANCHESTER, N.H. (April 20, 2011) – Stonehill College, ranked fifth in this week’s Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II national poll, staged a second-half rally to push past Northeast-10 Conference opponent Southern New Hampshire University 14-10 under the lights in Manchester Wednesday night.

Hannah Anderson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) and Sam Lynott (Holbrook, N.Y./East Sachem) each scored four times and Sarah Galligan (West Newbury, Mass./Pentucket Regional) added three goals as Stonehill outscored Southern New Hampshire 8-3 in the second half to recover from an early deficit. Goalkeeper Rebecca Moore (Marlborough, Mass./St. Mark's School) made eight saves to earn the victory in net. The Penmen were led by a game-high six goals from Emily Mongeau and a 14-save effort in goal by Hannah Moriarty, and opened up a four-goal lead in the first half before the Skyhawks closed the gap.

Mongeau and Phoebe Clark each put away three first-half goals for Southern New Hampshire as the Penmen scored six of the game’s first eight goals to build up a 6-2 lead after 15 minutes. Despite a 24-22 advantage in shots, Stonehill came up against 12 first-half saves by Moriarty and trailed throughout the opening 30 minutes. Lynott scored three of her four goals in the first half to start pulling the Skyhawks back, and Anderson converted a free-position shot with five minutes remaining to cut Southern New Hampshire’s lead to 7-6 at the break.

The Skyhawks regrouped to take control of the second half, opening on a 4-1 run behind a pair of goals from Anderson and finishing with eight in the final 30 minutes. Galligan and Kelsey Reilly (Hingham, Mass./Notre Dame Academy) each collected two late goals, and Reilly led the second-half defensive effort with two caused turnovers as Southern New Hampshire committed 12 total in the second half. Mongeau scored her sixth of the night with 12 minutes remaining to bring the Penmen back within one goal, but Stonehill turned in the final three to lock up their ninth NE-10 victory.

Stonehill (13-1, 9-1 NE-10) is back in action next Monday at home, when the Skyhawks host regional rival #7 Dowling College in a matchup of top-10 teams beginning at 4:00 p.m.