Sophomore Rebecca Matheson scored two key second half goals to lead the Skyhawks tonight. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
Armstrong's season-high 11 saves preserves Skyhawks win
RINDGE, N.H. (March 25, 2014) – Stonehill College, ranked 14th in this week's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II poll, held off Franklin Pierce University in the second half to claim an 8-7 victory in Northeast-10 Conference women's lacrosse action at Sodexo Field tonight.
Sophomore Rebecca Matheson (Reading, Mass./Reading Memorial) led three Stonehill players with two goals and added a team-high five draw controls. Both of her goals came in the second half to help seal the win. Junior Cassandra McGill (Westborough, Mass./Westborough) also netted two goals, including what proved to be the game winner with 11:14 remaining in regulation. Junior Brooke Rudden (Hopkinton, Mass./Hopkinton) rounded out the two goal scorers for the Skyhawks, while classmate Mikayla Couch (Towaco, N.J./DePaul Catholic) contributed a goal and assist. Senior Kelsey Shannahan (Mendham, N.J./Morris Catholic) rounded out the goal scorers with one to extend her point streak to 31 games dating back to 2011.
Junior Ashley Armstrong (Northborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional) made six of her season-high 11 saves in the second half to preserve the win. Franklin Pierce held a 27-17 advantage in shots for the contest, but was just 1-for-6 on free-position shot attempts, compared to 0-for-0 for the Skyhawks. The Ravens also forced 13 Stonehill turnovers, while committing just seven. Stonehill controlled possession with a 12-4 advantage on draw controls. Junior Julia Coakley (Bridgewater, Mass./Bridgewater-Raynham) finished with four stops in the Franklin Pierce goal.
Junior Cassandra McGill scored what proved to be the decising goal. (PHOTO BY Shane Bufano) |
Junior Amanda Gauvin (Ashburnham, Mass./Oakmont Regional) led Franklin Pierce with three goals, while sophomore Lauren Beville (Jamesville, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt) netted two with six ground balls and two caused turnovers. Junior Megan Raposa (Tiverton, R.I./Tiverton) added a goal and assist, while classmate Madeline Shopshire (Hyannis, Mass./Hyannis) chipped in with a marker.
Stonehill scored the first five goals of the contest in the opening ten minutes. Rudden scored twice during that span, while Couch added a goal and assist. Shannahan capped the opening run with her 12th goal of the season to extend her point streak to 31 games dating back to the 2011 season.
Franklin Pierce scored the last two goals over the final 14:05 in the frame to pull the Ravens within three at the intermission. Gauvin and Beville combined to score the first two goals of the second half for the Ravens to close within a goal (5-4) with 22-minutes left. Matheson restored a two goal (6-4) Stonehill lead with 21:45 to go, but the Ravens were able to equalize with 16:02 remaining with a Gauvin goal.
Matheson scored, off a feed by junior Lizzie Lane (Sandwich, Mass./Bishop Stang), with 15 minutes to play and then McGill capped the Stonehill scoring with 11:14 to go. Shopshire cut the gap to a goal once more for Franklin Pierce with 8:32 to go, but Armstrong held firm with four saves down the stretch and a key stop with 56-seconds left.
Stonehill (3-3, 2-1 NE-10) is right back in action on Thursday when it visits American International College for a Northeast-10 matchup at 3 p.m. The Skyhawks return home on Saturday to host No. 2 Adelphi University at 1 p.m. Franklin Pierce (2-4, 1-3 NE-10) hosts Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday at 2 p.m.
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