#11 Stonehill Holds Off #12 Bentley, 13-10


Junior Kelsey Shannahan posted two goals and two assists for the Skyhawks. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

Shannahan's four points, Armstrong's eight saves key victory

EASTON, Mass. (April 9, 2013) – Stonehill College, ranked 11th in this week's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II poll, posted its sixth home win without a loss by claiming a key 13-10 triumph over 12th-ranked Bentley University in Northeast-10 Conference women's lacrosse action at Timothy J. Coughlin Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium tonight.

Junior Kelsey Shannahan (Mendham, N.J./Morris Catholic) led Stonehill with four points on two goals and two assists, while seniors Heather Sullivan (Andover, Mass./Andover) and Kayla Green (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) netted three goals each. Green also contributed two ground balls, a draw control and caused turnover in moving within a point of 200 for her career with 154 goals and 45 assists in 67 career games played. Sullivan added three ground balls and is just two points shy of 200 career points with 164 goals and 34 assists in 65 career games.

Sophomore Elizabeth Lane (Sandwich, Mass./Bishop Stang) contributed a goal and two assists with two caused turnovers for Stonehill. Senior All-American Kelsey Reilly (Hingham, Mass./Notre Dame Academy) added a goal and assist for two points with five draw controls, three ground balls and three caused turnovers.

Sophomore Ashley Armstrong (Northborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional) posted eight saves in goal for Stonehill as the Skyhawks finished with a 27-21 advantage in shots and 13-11 edge in draw controls. Junior Ally Dorman (Simsbury, Conn./Simsbury) finished with 11 stops in goal for Bentley.


Sophomore Ashley Armstrong posted eight saves to preserve the Skyhawks sixth home win. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

Senior Taylor Bastien (North Kingstown, R.I./North Kingstown) posted four points for Bentley with two goals and two assists, while senior Cori Geiger (Agawam, Mass./Agawam) and junior Carolyn Kynoch (Ashland, Mass./Ashland) each netted two goals for the Falcons. Kynoch also contributed three draw controls, three ground balls and three caused turnovers.

Stonehill set the tone early, scoring the first four goals in the opening six minutes. Shannahan led the opening run with a goal and assist as four different Skyhawk scored. Bentley scored the next two goals to cut its deficit in half after a free-position goal from Bastien with 18:55 remaining in the half.

The teams traded goals over the next nine minutes and then Stonehill extended its lead back to four goals at halftime (8-4) with a pair of goals in the final 3:38 by Sullivan and Green. Bentley scored the first two goals of the second half to draw back within two (8-6) after a Kynoch marker with 21:41 remaining.

The teams swapped goals again inside of 18 minutes to play and then Stonehill reeled off four goals in the span of 3:39 to open a six point lead (13-7) after Sullivan's third of the day with 13 minutes on the clock. Green, junior Mary Lee Mahony (Yardley, Pa./Villa Joseph Marie) and freshman Rebecca Matheson (Reading, Mass./Reading Memorial) also netted goals during the game-clinching run.

Bentley closed the gap with three goals in the final 4:43 of the night. Bastien posted a goal and assist for the Falcons during that stretch, but it was not enough as Stonehill held maintained the advantage.

Stonehill (8-4, 7-2 NE-10) is back in action on Thursday when it visits Southern Connecticut State University for an NE-10 matchup at 4 p.m. The Skyhawks return home on Saturday to host top-ranked and reigning National Champions LIU Post for a non-conference clash at W.B. Mason Stadium at 11 a.m. Bentley (6-4, 4-2 NE-10) hosts Saint Anselm College on Thursday at 7 p.m.

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