Franklin Square, New York, senior selected for first time this season, marking third Skyhawk to pick up weekly honor this spring
NEC Women's Lacrosse Weekly Report
Hughes earns NEC Player of the Week honors for the second time in her career with her first selection of the 2024 season. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
EASTON, Mass. (April 9, 2024) – Stonehill College senior attack Molly Mae Hughes has been named the Northeast Conference Player of the Week in women's lacrosse for the first time this season, marking the third Skyhawk to collect the weekly recognition this spring, the Conference office announced on Monday.
Hughes, who became the first NEC Player of the Week in program history during her junior season in 2022, joins teammates Grace Murphy and Natalie Coutu as Player of the Week selections this season after the sophomores earned the recognition in back-to-back weeks February 26 and March 5. The Skyhawks attack trio were all named NEC Prime Performers once again after their efforts in their lone game of the week, a 19-13 road triumph at Wagner College that will have playoff implications in the final days of the regular season.
Hughes, who has been named an NEC Prime Performer a team-leading five weeks this season, totaled seven points, including the 200th of her career, in Saturday's win at Wagner, leading Stonehill with five goals and two assists. Her second assist made her the 16th member of Stonehill's 200-point club and set up Coutu's second goal of the game to give the Skyhawks their first lead of the afternoon (7-6) - one it would not relinquish. Hughes later contributed three points, including back-to-back goals within a 33-second stretch during Stonehill's six goal run for a five goal (11-6) halftime lead. She posted her seventh three goal game of the season with five-plus goals in three contests.
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Coutu |
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Murphy |
Hughes has started all 11 games for Stonehill this spring and is the top scorer in the NEC with her 56 points and 39 goals, while ranking second to Coutu with her 17 assists. Her career-high nine points in Stonehill's 22-10 win at Howard University shares the top scoring output in the NEC this season, while she has scored six goals twice in wins over FDU and Howard, which is the second-highest single-game total in the NEC this season. She has scored multiple goals in eight-straight games and ten of 11 games overall this year, netting four plus goals six times, while posting multiple assists in two-straight games and six games overall.
Hughes, an All-NEC second team selection in 2023, has started 54 of the 57 games she has played over her four-year career at Stonehill. She ranks 15th all-time in program history with her 206 points, while ranking ninth with 71 assists and 13th all-time with 135 career goals. Hughes has converted 18-of-54 (33.3%) free-position goals over her career, collecting 71 ground balls, 21 draw controls and 17 caused turnovers. She has been named to the NEC Academic Honor Roll, NE10 Academic Honor Roll over the course of her career for her efforts in the classroom.
- Murphy earns NEC Prime Performer status for the fourth time this season after scoring four goals to go with a pair of assists for six points in Saturday's win at Wagner. It marks the seventh game this season she has scored three-plus goals.
- Coutu earns NEC Prime Performer honors for the second time this spring after matching Hughes with seven points in Saturday's win at Wagner with three goals and four assists. She also collected two ground balls against the Seahawks.
Stonehill (5-6, 4-2 NEC) is back in action on Wednesday, when it opens a four-game homestand against LIU for another key NEC matchup at W.B. Mason Stadium at 4 p.m. The Skyhawks will host Delaware State University on Saturday at noon in another NEC clash.
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