Senior Kelsey Shannahan matched her career high with five goals to lead the Skyhawks tonight. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
Shannahan, Rudden and Gould fire Skyhawks to win in NE-10 opener
EASTON, Mass. (March 19, 2014) – Stonehill College, ranked ninth in this week's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II poll, opened its home and Conference schedule on a winning note with a 19-11 triumph over Assumption College in Northeast-10 Conference women's lacrosse action at Timothy J. Coughlin Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium tonight.
Senior Kelsey Shannahan (Mendham, N.J./Morris Catholic) matched her career high with five goals to lead the way for Stonehill, adding three ground balls, two draw controls and a caused turnover. Junior Keri Gould (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury) also posted a career-high five points on a career-best four goals and an assist, while junior Brooke Rudden (Hopkinton, Mass./Hopkinton) contributed a goal and career-best four assists for the Skyhawks, chipping in with four ground balls and a caused turnover. Sophomore Caitlin Sweeney (Hollis, N.H./Hollis-Brookline) and freshman Elizabeth Vetter (Great River, N.Y./East Islip) each netted a hat trick for Stonehill.
Junior Ashley Armstrong (Northborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional) preserved the win with ten saves with Stonehill finishing with a 31-29 edge in shots, converting 5-of-8 free-position shots and adding an 18-14 advantage with draw controls. Freshman Jaclyn Chirco (Hopkinton, Mass./Hopkinton) finished with eight stops in the Assumption goal.
Senior Kathryn Beall (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) led Assumption with three goals, five draw controls, two ground balls and two caused turnovers. Junior Amy McNeil (Orange, Conn./Amity) contributed two goals and an assist for three points, while freshman Quincy Wilkins (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug) and sophomore Kate Graydon (Kennebunkport, Maine/Kennebunk) each chipped in with a pair of goals.
Junior Keri Gould posted career-bests of four goals and five points tonight. (PHOTO BY Shane Bufano) |
Stonehill scored four of the first five goals, with the first two coming off the stick of Vetter in the opening 2:10, to immediately take charge. After McNeil put Assumption on the scoreboard, Gould and junior Lizzie Lane (Sandwich, Mass./Bishop Stang) both added markers, while Rudden dished out assists on two of the Skyhawks first four goals.
Assumption closed within 5-4 with a Beall goal with 12:22 remaining in the half. Stonehill kicked off a four goal run over the next three minutes with a free position goal by junior Cassandra McGill (Westborough, Mass./Westborough) 20 seconds later. Shannahan followed with three straight markers for a 9-4 lead with 9:44 remaining in the half. Junior Camille Auger (Kennebunk, Maine/Kennebunk) and Wilkins scored around a marker by Emily Kessel (Kennebunk, Maine/Kennebunk) to pull the Greyhounds back within four (10-6) with 2:21 left in the half, but Gould scored the first two of her three straight Stonehill markers to send the Skyhawks into halftime with a 12-6 lead.
Stonehill's run reached five goals to put the hosts up 15-6 with 19:05 to play as Rudden played a role in the first three goals of the half with a goal and two assists. Gould scored the opening goal of the half after three minutes off a Rudden feed, before Rudden added a free-position goal and then dealt Shannahan's fourth marker of the night.
Assumption scored three of the next four goals to creep back within 16-9 after a free-position goal from sophomore Julianna Molloy (Guilford, Conn./Guilford) with 9:51 on the clock. Stonehill kept the Greyhounds at arm's length the rest of the way behind Sweeney's three goals over the final 8:22 to seal victory.
Stonehill (2-2, 1-0 NE-10) is back in action on Saturday when it visits 10th-ranked University of New Haven for a key early season NE-10 clash at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks return home the following Saturday, March 29, at 1 p.m. Assumption (4-1, 2-1 NE-10) hosts Southern New Hampshire University on Saturday at 3 p.m.
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