Conover is the first coach in NE10 history to reach 200 career wins (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

Rudden's nine points and career-high five goals keys 200^th career win for Conover, '03, while Sullivan surpasses 100 career points

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (March 23, 2022) – Stonehill College, ranked No. 24 in this week's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II poll and No. 16 in the USA Lacrosse Magazine Top 20 poll, kept rolling with a 19-2 triumph over American International College in Northeast-10 Conference women's lacrosse action on Ronald J. Abdow Field this afternoon.

The win marks the 200^th victory for Stonehill head coach Katie Conover, '03 who has now posted a 200-104 (.658) career coaching record over 19 seasons, including a 155-84 (.649) mark in her 15 seasons on the sideline of her alma mater to go with a 45-20 (.692) clip in four years at Merrimack College prior. She is the first coach in NE10 women's lacrosse history to reach the 200-win plateau and she currently ranks seventh among NCAA Division II women's lacrosse coaches all-time, becoming the 61^st women's lacrosse coach all-time across all three divisions to reach the milestone.

Senior preseason All-American Emma Sullivan joined in the milestone day for Stonehill by having a hand in the Skyhawks first two goals of the day to reach the 100-point plateau for her career. She finished with a career-high five assists, to go with two goals for seven points to finish the day with 105 points in 37 career games, with 81 goals and 24 assists. 

Scoring

Stonehill
Goals: Lydia Rudden 5, Kendall Fressle 4, Emma Sullivan 2, Kayla Conway 2, Molly Mae Hughes 2, Victoria Butler, Lilly Leach, Elizabeth Harrington, Abigail Moynihan.
Assists: Emma Sullivan 5, Lydia Rudden 4, Kendall Fressle 2, Emma Keene-Reinhard 2, Victoria Butler, Kayla Conway, Molly Mae Hughes. 

American International
Goals: Anevay Rice 2.
Assists: None. 

Goalkeeping
Stonehill: Sarah Faley – 7 saves (48:20); Claire Smith – 2 saves (31:40).
AIC: Jessica Stone – 10 saves (31:32); Marissa Long – 5 saves (28:28).

More Leaders

Stonehill
Caused Turnovers: Mallory Crispens, Molly Mae Hughes & Lilly Leach 2
Draw Controls: Emma Sullivan & Victoria Butler 5.
Ground Balls: Molly Mae Hughes 4.

American International
Caused Turnovers: Marissa Feary & Lauren Smithers 2.
Draw Controls: Antonella Mikolyuk 2.
Ground Balls: Madi Bis 2.

Sullivan had a hand in the Skyhawks first two goals, finishing with a career-high five assists, and posting the 100th point ogf her career. (PHOTO BY Crystal Ayn Photography)

How it Happened

• There was little drama as Stonehill grabbed a six-goal lead by the end of the first quarter on its way to scoring the first 18 goals of the contest to notch its fourth-straight win.
• Sullivan had a hand in each of the Skyhawks first two goals, dishing her first of five assists on junior Lydia Rudden's opener 4:50 into the game and then scoring her first of two markers less than two minutes later, assisted by Rudden, to record her 100^th career point with 8:11 to play in the first.
• Rudden played a role in Stonehill's first four goals, with two goals and two assists, while Sullivan finished the opening frame with a goal and two assists.
• Rudden opened the second quarter scoring just 50-seconds in, assisted by classmate Kayla Conway.
• Senior Kendall Fressle registered two goals and two assists in the second quarter to lead Stonehill to a 12-0 halftime lead.
• Sophomore Molly Mae Hughes opened the second half scoring 48-seconds in and had a role in three of Stonehill's first four goals in the frame, while Rudden contributed another goal and assist over the first seven minutes of the half.
• Junior Abigail Moynihan netted her first career goal with 1:47 to play in the third to extend Stonehill's lead to 18-0 heading to the fourth.
• Sophomore Anevay Rice broke up the shutout for American International with back-to-back goals to open the fourth quarter, netting her first of two 42-seconds in.
• Junior Elizabeth Harrington rounded out the scoring for Stonehill with her first career goal with 80-seconds to play.

Rudden scored a career-high five goals and added four assists for a team-high nine points (PHOTO BY Crystal Ayn Photography)

Noteworthy

• Stonehill returned to the IWLCA Division II poll at No. 24 this week, in addition to its debut in the USA Lacrosse Magazine poll, marking its first national ranking since 2018.
• Rudden finished with nine points on a career-high five goals and four assists, while Sullivan tallied two goals and a career-best five assists for seven points, adding five draw controls, three ground balls and a caused turnover.
• Fressle contributed four goals and two assists for six points, while Conway and Hughes each tallied two goals and an assist.
• Junior Emma Keene-Reinhard dished out the first two assists of her collegiate career.
• Seven Skyhawks registered multiple points, with ten chipping in at least a point.
• Freshman Sarah Faley earned her fourth career win with seven saves over the first 48:20, conceding just one goal, before yielding for sophomore Claire Smith for the final 11:20, adding two stops.
• Stonehill's two goals allowed is its fewest of the season and lowest total since allowing a pair in a season-opening 21-2 win over Queens (N.Y.) College on February 24, 2019.
• Four Skyhawks finished with multiple goals for the fourth-straight game.
• Senior Jessica Stone made ten saves over the first 31:32 in the AIC goal, before sophomore Marissa Long made five stops in the final 28:28.
• Stonehill has posted its first four-game win streak since a run of five straight wins in April 2017 and is off to a 5-1 start for the first time since opening the 2015 season with 12-straight wins.
• Stonehill's 3-0 start to NE10 play is its first since 2015 when it won the first nine in the Conference.

Up Next

Stonehill (5-1, 3-0 NE10) is back in action on Saturday, when it visits rival Bentley University, ranked No. 14 in this week's IWLCA poll, for an NE10 matchup at 4 p.m. The Skyhawks return home next Wednesday, March 30, to host No. 19 Assumption University at 7 p.m. AIC (2-3, 0-2 NE10) hosts No. 20 Saint Anselm College on Saturday at 1 p.m.

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