Pioneers get nine different goal scorers to remain unbeaten in NEC play

Conway totaled two goals and an assist for the SKyhawks (PHOTO BY Mary Gettens)

EASTON, Mass. (April 8, 2023) – Sacred Heart University used nine different goal scorers to hold off Stonehill College for an 11-8 triumph in Northeast Conference women's lacrosse action on Timothy J. Coughlin, '80 Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium this afternoon. 

Highlights

• Postgrad Grace Reinold and senior Sydney Colesworthy led Sacred Hearts nine different goal scorers with two goals apiece as the lone Pioneers with multiple goals in the contest.
• Senior Emma Kittredge and junior Kelly Nolan both contributed a goal and assist for the Pioneers.
• Postgrad Claire McElhenny collected six draw controls, five ground ball and two caused turnovers for the visitors. Sophomore Lisa Martin registered five saves in the Pioneers goal, with three ground balls and two caused turnovers.
• Postgrad All-American Emma Sullivan led Stonehill with a game-high three goals, three ground balls, two draw controls and two caused turnovers.
• Senior Kayla Conway added two goals and an assist for three points, while senior All-American Lydia Rudden and freshman Gabriella Parisi each totaled a goal and assist for the Skyhawks.
• Senior All-American Victoria Butler collected seven draw controls, two caused turnovers and a ground ball for Stonehill, while netting a goal. Junior Claire Smith finished with eight saves and four ground balls in the Skyhawks goal.

Sullivan filled the stat sheet with a game-high three goals, three ground balls, two draw controls and two caused turnovers (PHOTO BY Mary Gettens)

How it Happened

• After trading goals over the first 15 minutes of the game, Sacred Heart outscored Stonehill 4-1 in the second quarter to grab a 6-3 lead at the half, keyed by free-position goals from Reinold and Nolan, following freshman Ellie Edwards fifth goal of the year with 4:49 remaining in the second quarter.
• Sacred Heart extended its run to five goals by scoring the first three of the second quarter to open a six-goal lead (9-3) after Colesworthy's fifth of the season six minutes in.
• Stonehill closed the quarter with four-straight goals, including a pair by Conway to close back within two (9-7) after Rudden's 15^th of the season with 1:52 to play in the third.
• Sacred Heart responded with the first two goals of the fourth on free-position tallies by Reinold and Kittridge to restore a four-goal lead (11-7) with eight minutes remaining.
• Parisi pulled Stonehill back within three (11-8) with her third of the season, assisted by classmate Grace Murphy, with 4:10 still to play, but was unable to draw any closer.

Noteworthy

• Conway has scored multiple goals in three-straight games for Stonehill, posting her seventh multi-goal game of the season. She has 97 points in 43 career games played.
• Rudden has multiple points in ten-straight games, having logged at least one goal and one assist in the last ten as well. She moved into a tie for 11^th on Stonehill's career scoring list with 212 points (74 goals, school-record 138 assists) with Kelsey Reilly, '13 – two points shy of cracking the top ten.
• Sullivan's three goals give her 194 points in 63 career games as she looks to become the program's 15^th 200-point scorer all-time. She moved into a tie for eighth all-time at Stonehill with 158 career goals, along with Mary Maloney, '09.

Up Next

Stonehill (2-9, 2-3 NEC) returns to action on Wednesday, when it visits Long Island University for an NEC matchup at 3 p.m. The Skyhawks are back at W.B. Mason Stadium next Saturday, April 15, to host Howard University for its Alumnae Day Game at 1 p.m. Sacred Heart (5-7, 4-0 NEC) hosts Wagner College on Wednesday at 3 p.m.

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