Stonehill Bounces Back Big Against SNHU, 17-5


Senior Kelsey Shannahan scored a career-high six goals to power the Skyhawks past Southern New Hampshire. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

Shannahan nets six, Armstrong saves 13 as Skyhawks post third win in four

EASTON, Mass. (April 2, 2014) – Stonehill College, among teams receiving votes in this week's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II poll, cruised to a 17-5 victory over Southern New Hampshire University 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) scored a career-high six goals and junior Ashley Armstrong (Northborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional) continued her outstanding play in goal with 13 saves to lead Stonehill to its third win over its last four games. Shannahan added two ground balls, a draw control and two caused turnovers to her team-high goal total, while Armstrong stopped eight shots in the second half and produced three stops on free-position shots in posting her fourth double-figure save outing of the season (second straight).

Junior Mikayla Couch (Towaco, N.J./DePaul Catholic) added three goals and two ground balls for Stonehill, while junior Lizzie Lane (Sandwich, Mass./Bishop Stang) and sophomore Rebecca Matheson (Reading, Mass./Reading Memorial) each scored a pair. Lane also collected three draw controls and a caused turnover, while Matheson chipped in with two draws. Junior Brooke Rudden (Hopkinton, Mass./Hopkinton) dished out two assists and classmate Cassandra McGill (Westborough, Mass./Westborough) contributed a goal and assist.

Stonehill finished with a 27-21 edge in shots for the contest, including 15-7 in the first half to build a 9-2 halftime lead. The Skyhawks converted 5-of-6 free-position shots, while draws finished even at 12 a side. Sophomore Maria Ploof (Middlebury, Vt./Middlebury) stopped five shots in 53:45 over two stints in the Southern New Hampshire goal, while freshman Nicole Kennedy (Windham, Maine/Windham) played 6:15 over the middle portion of the contest without a save.


Junior Ashley Armstrong recorded 13 saves to preserve the Skyhawks third win over their last four games. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

Junior Lindsay Bucknam (Bow, N.H./Bow) led SNHU with two goals, while senior Phoebe Clark (Concord, N.H./Concord) added a goal with four ground balls, two draw controls and two caused turnovers. Senior Ellie Morin (Scarborough, Maine/Scarborough) contributed a goal, five draws and two ground balls. Junior Emily King (Florence, Mass./Northampton) rounded out the Penmen goal scorers and chipped in four ground balls and two caused turnovers.

McGill opened the scoring with a free-position goal 2:05 into the game, but Southern New Hampshire answered right back with King's 24th goal of the year with 24:04 to play in the first half. Lane sparked a four goal Stonehill run just 20-seconds later before Couch netted back to back markers in a 31-second span. Shannahan capped the four goal run that put the Skyhawks up for good with her first goal of the night with 19:35 left in the opening frame.

Clark got a goal back for SNHU with a free-position goal with 17:36 left in the half, but Stonehill scored the final four goals of the half in the last 6:44 to take its 9-2 halftime lead. Shannahan scored twice during that run, with McGill assisting on the first, with help coming from goals by Matheson and Couch.

Stonehill extended the run by three goals to open a ten goal lead (12-2) after a goal by sophomore Caitlin Sweeney (Hollis, N.H./Hollis-Brookline) six minutes into the second half. Lane opened the half with a free-position goal before Shannahan scored her fourth of the night 57-seconds ahead of Sweeney's marker.

Southern New Hampshire answered with three straight goals, including two from Bucknam, to draw back within seven (12-5) with 17:43 remaining. Stonehill squelched the rally by tightening up its defense and scoring the final five goals to pull away for good. Shannahan scored the first two goals of the clinching run less than two minutes apart, with Matheson capping the scoring with a free-position goal with 2:42 on the clock.

Stonehill (5-4, 4-2 NE-10) is right back in action here at W.B. Mason Stadium on Saturday when it hosts 4th-ranked Le Moyne College at 1 p.m. Southern N.H. (2-7, 1-4 NE-10) visits 2nd-ranked Adelphi University on Saturday at 1 p.m.

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