#4/7 Stonehill Turns Back #6/7 New Haven, 12-8


Senior Ashley Armstrong posted six of her eight saves in the second half, matching the program's career record with 479 stops. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

Armstrong preserves big win with eight saves, matches program's career mark 

EASTON, Mass. (April 4, 2015) – Stonehill College, ranked No. 4 in this week's Nike/Lacrosse Magazine Top 20 and 7th in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II poll, built a six goal halftime lead and made it stand in the second half for a 12-8 triumph over the University of New Haven, ranked 6th in the IWLCA poll and 7th in the Nike/Lacrosse Magazine poll, in a key Northeast-10 Conference women's lacrosse matchup on Timothy J. Coughlin Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium this afternoon.

Senior Ashley Armstrong (Northborough, Massachusetts/Algonquin Regional) made six of her eight saves in the second half to preserve the win for Stonehill, which is off to a 12-0 start for the first time since opening with 15 wins in 2007. Armstrong's eight stops give her 479 in 64 career games played, matching the program's career record set by Carissa Medeiros '03 from 2001 to 2003. Armstrong registered five of her eight saves today on free-position shots, helping limit New Haven to 3-for-9 on free-position attempts, including both of her first half stops. She also made a pair of saves on the Chargers final possession of the contest, including one free-position stop. Armstrong win today gives her 44 in her career, just three shy of the program record of 47 held by Stonehill Hall of Famer Lauren Stone '06.

Senior Emily Kessel (Kennebunk, Maine/Kennebunk) paced the Stonehill attack with three goals, while classmate Cassandra McGill (Westborough, Massachusetts/Westborough) totaled three points with two goals and an assist. Seniors Lizzie Lane (Sandwich, Massachusetts/Bishop Stang) and Jillian Yung (Bridgewater, Massachusetts/Bridgewater-Raynham) each added two goals for the Skyhawks, with Lane contributing three ground balls, two caused turnovers and a draw control, while Yung collected two draws. Senior Brooke Rudden (Hopkinton, Massachusetts/Hopkinton) chipped in with a goal, assist and two ground balls.

Stonehill held a 24-19 edge in shots for the contest, including 15-6 in the first half, but controlled possession with a 17-5 advantage on draw controls. Sophomore Elizabeth Vetter (Great River, New York/East Islip) grabbed a team-high seven draws, with a goal, three ground balls and a caused turnover, while freshman Kelly Healey (Westwood, Massachusetts/Westwood) collected five draws. Junior Remi DiRe (Winchester, Massachusetts/Winchester) contributed four ground balls and two caused turnovers to pace the Skyhawks on defense.


Senior Emily Kessel scored all three of her goals in the first half to lead the Skyhawks to a six goal halftime lead they wouldn't relinquish. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

Senior Kathryn Campbell (Mansfield, Massachusetts/Mansfield) led New Haven with two goals, three caused turnovers and a ground ball. Junior Courtney Ackland (Perth, Australia) added a goal and assist, while five other Chargers all netted a goal.

Junior Marissa McDermott (Longmeadow, Massachusetts/Wilbraham & Monson) took the loss in the New Haven goal, recording three first half saves, while classmate Alyssa Gianotti (Monkton, Maryland/Hereford) made four saves and yielded just three goals in the second half.

Stonehill scored five straight goals in the final eight minutes of the first half to take control after back to back New Haven goals drew the Chargers within a marker after a free-position goal by senior Ashley Travis (LaFayette, New York/LaFayette) with 8:57 remaining. McGill put the Skyhawks back up a pair with 7:56 left and then Yung scored twice within an 18-second span to give the hosts a four goal cushion with 7:28 to go in the frame. Kessel's third goal of the opening half put Stonehill up five (8-3) with 4:48 remaining and then Vetter capped the first half scoring with 3:17 on the clock.

New Haven scored two of the first three goals in the second half to draw within five after a score by senior Brittany Ast (Glenwood, New Jersey/Vernon Township) with 19:22 to play. Ackland opened the second half scoring 1:32 into the half and then McGill potted her second with 25:37 on the clock. Stonehill opened a game-high seven goal cushion (12-5) when junior Caitlin Sweeney (Hollis, New Hampshire/Hollis-Brookline) scored off a feed from McGill with 14:22 remaining and then Lane added a goal, assisted by Rudden, with 12:59 left. That proved to be more than enough to offset a three goal run by New Haven to cap the scoring on the afternoon in the closing 9:10.

Stonehill (12-0, 9-0 NE-10) is right back in action on Wednesday when it heads to Syracuse, New York, to face 5th-ranked Le Moyne College for another huge NE-10 clash at 3 p.m. The Skyhawks return home next Saturday, April 11, to host Saint Michael's College for an NE-10 matchup here at W.B. Mason Stadium at 1 p.m. Please note the time change on that contest, from the original noon start. New Haven (8-2, 5-2 NE-10) hosts Southern Connecticut State University on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

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