Big First Half Leads #4 Le Moyne Past #7 Stonehill, 14-8


Senior All-American Sarah Galligan led the Skyhawks with three goals and an assist. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

Dolphins clinch first NE-10 regular season title behind Bauer's five goals, Skyhawks will be seeded third for upcoming NE-10 Tournament

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (April 28, 2012) – Le Moyne College, ranked fourth in this week's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II poll, wrapped up its first Northeast-10 Conference regular season championship with a 14-8 victory over seventh-ranked Stonehill College in the women's lacrosse regular season finale at Niland Athletic Complex this afternoon. 

Le Moyne (15-1, 12-0 NE-10), in its second year in the NE-10 since reclassifying from Division I, will be the top seed for the upcoming NE-10 tournament and will serve as host of the semifinal and final rounds next Saturday and Sunday, May 5 and 6. The Dolphins await the winner of Wednesday's first round matchup between fourth-seeded Bentley University (12-5, 9-3 NE-10) and fifth-seeded University of New Haven (13-4, 8-4 NE-10) in next Saturday's semifinal round. Stonehill (13-4, 10-2 NE-10) will be seeded third for the NE-10 tournament and will host sixth-seeded Merrimack College (7-8, 7-5 NE-10) in a first round matchup on Wednesday, May 2, at W.B. Mason Stadium at 7 p.m.

Junior Brenna Bauer (Rochester, N.Y./Brighton) led Le Moyne with seven points as she tallied a game-high five goals to go with two assists. Classmate Kelly Condon (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua) also registered seven points with three goals and a match-high four assists. Senior Brittany Brigandi (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) added two goals, three draw controls and three ground balls, while sophomore Kathleen Conese (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) chipped in with a goal and assist with four ground balls, three draw controls and a caused turnover.

Senior Kelly Fucillo (Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee) preserved the win for Le Moyne with 14 saves as the Dolphins finished with a 30-28 edge in shots, but Stonehill posted a 22-18 advantage for shots on goal. The Skyhawks were 0-for-6 on free-position shots, while the Dolphins converted 2-for-6. Le Moyne held a slight 13-11 edge on draw controls, while converting 14-of-20 clear attempts. Stonehill forced 16 Dolphin turnovers, while committing 11 and was successful on 12-of-15 clears.


Junior All-American Kelsey Reilly added two goals and an assist with four draw controls. (PHOTO BY Shane Bufano)

Senior All-American Sarah Galligan (West Newbury, Mass./Pentucket Regional) led Stonehill with three goals and an assist for four points. Junior All-American Kelsey Reilly (Hingham, Mass./Notre Dame Academy) added two goals and an assist for three points with four draw controls and a caused turnover. Classmate Kayla Green (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) chipped in two goals, while senior All-American Samantha Lynott (Holbrook, N.Y./East Sachem) contributed a goal and assist with three draw controls.

Freshman Ashley Armstrong (Northborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional) started in goal for Stonehill and posted three saves in the first half. Junior All-American Rebecca Moore (Marlborough, Mass./St. Mark's School) made one second half stop.

Bauer opened the scoring for Le Moyne 37-seconds into the contest, but Stonehill netted the next two goals to take its lone lead thanks to a goal and assist from Lynott. She scored the tying goal with 22:42 left in the half before setting up Galligan's first of the afternoon 13-seconds later. The Dolphins answered quickly when Bauer set up sophomore Jennifer Fabian (Clay, N.Y./C.W. Baker) with 21:47 to play in the half that spurred a three goal run, including two Bauer goals, to take the lead for good.

Stonehill closed within a goal (4-3) on Green's first goal of the game with 14:29 to play in the half. Le Moyne took control by scoring seven of the final eight goals in the opening frame, starting with a four goal run. Two Brigandi goals bookended the initial run, while Condon had a goal and assist. Reilly scored her first of the game with 4:44 left in the half, but the Dolphins closed the half out with three markers, as Condon and Bauer each tallied a goal and assist.

Green opened the second half scoring for Stonehill 1:24 into the second half, but Le Moyne worked the clock and scored the next three goals to take a 14-5 lead after a Condon goal with 9:47 remaining. She also dished two assists during that stretch.

Galligan attempted to get Stonehill back in the game as she played a role in each of the final three goals in the contest to pull the Skyhawks within six when she set up Reilly's second goal with 1:09 to play. Galligan scored Stonehill's first two goals during the late run, while Reilly also dished an assist.