Freshman Elizabeth Vetter scored three first half goals to help lead the Skyhawks tonight. |
Shannahan and Vetter net three goals each to lead Skyhawks to win
EASTON, Mass. (April 16, 2014) – Stonehill College, ranked 13th in this week's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II poll and 14th in the Lacrosse Magazine poll, got back on the winning track with a 13-3 triumph over Merrimack 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) posted four points with three goals, including the 100th of her career, and an assist, while freshman Elizabeth Vetter (Great River, N.Y./East Islip) added three goals as well to lead Stonehill to its fifth straight NE-10 win. Shannahan also contributed two ground balls, two draw controls and two caused turnovers, while Vetter collected three ground balls and a draw for the Skyhawks.
Senior Mary Lee Mahony (Yardley, Pa./Villa Joseph Marie) added a goal and two assists for three points, while junior Lizzie Lane (Sandwich, Mass./Bishop Stang) and sophomore Rebecca Matheson (Reading, Mass./Reading Memorial) each chipped in with a goal and assist. Lane also posted two ground balls, two draws and a caused turnover for the Skyhawks. Juniors Cassandra McGill (Westborough, Mass./Westborough) and Jillian Yung (Bridgewater, Mass./Bridgewater-Raynham) as well as sophomore Caitlin Sweeney (Hollis, N.H./Hollis-Brookline) and freshman Shannon Booth (Pearl River, N.Y./Nanuet) also netted markers for the Skyhawks.
Junior Ashley Armstrong (Northborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional) made two saves in goal for Stonehill which finished with a 30-11 advantage for shots on the night. The Skyhawks took advantage of 18 Merrimack turnovers, committing just eight themselves, including a 9-2 edge in the first half to help build an 11-1 halftime lead. Draws finished even at nine apiece, with Stonehill posting an 8-5 edge in the decisive opening half. Senior Inna Hedden (Woodbine, Md./South Carroll) made eight of her nine saves in the first half for the Warriors, adding three ground balls and two caused turnovers.
Senior Kelsey Shannahan netted three goals, including the 100th of her career, and added an assist for a four point night. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
Senior Dara Hayes (Calgary, Alberta/Centennial), sophomore Shealyn Anthony (Stoneham, Mass./Austin Prep) and freshman Megan Fero (East Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) all netted goals for Merrimack. Sophomore Danielle Riley (West Point, N.Y./James I. O'Neill) collected four of the Warriors nine draw controls on the night.
Stonehill scored the first four goals of the game within a four minute span after seven and a half minutes. McGill opened the scoring 3:43 into the contest with an unassisted marker. Matheson added another unassisted tally just over a minute later before back-to-back goals by Vetter less than two minutes apart gave the Skyhawks a 4-0 lead with 22:30 left in the first half. Matheson set up Vetter's first goal before Shannahan dished up her second marker.
Anthony got Merrimack's first goal with 14:42 left in the first half off a feed from senior Jessica Otis (Pittsford, N.Y./East Rochester). Stonehill broke a ten minute scoring drought with Sweeney's ninth goal of the year with 12:57 left in the half. The Skyhawks added six more goals in the final 9:16 of the half to take command and open an 11-1 lead at the break. Mahony and Vetter netted unassisted markers for Stonehill less than a minute apart before Shannahan reeled off three straight within four minutes for a 10-1 lead with 39-seconds left. Shannahan's first goal of the run marked the 100th of her career at Stonehill. Lane and Mahony assisted on Shannahan's second and third goals during that stretch before combining to cap the scoring with 18-seconds left in the half for Lane's 12th of the season.
Hayes scored the opening goal of the second half for Merrimack 3:35 in. Neither team scored until Booth potted her fourth of the year with 15:24 to reclaim a ten goal cushion for Stonehill and then Yung scored off a feed from junior Keri Gould (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury) with 11:55 remaining. Fero capped the scoring on the night with a free-position goal for Merrimack with 6:10 to play.
Stonehill (9-5, 8-2 NE-10) is back in action on Saturday for a key non-conference matchup at Dowling College, receiving votes nationally, at 2 p.m. The Skyhawks return to W.B. Mason Stadium on Tuesday for its Purple & White Game on Senior Night when they host 15th-ranked Saint Anselm College for a big NE-10 clash at 7 p.m.
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