Goal in 78th minute sinks Skyhawks

EASTON, Mass. (October 27, 2010) – The Stonehill College women’s soccer team dropped a narrow 1-0 decision Wednesday to visiting Merrimack College, currently ranked 20th nationally in Division II by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

Senior Jessie DeGraan (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) scored the lone goal of the match for Merrimack in the 78th minute. Freshman goalkeeper Amy Wheaton (Dartmouth, Mass./Dartmouth) made five saves for Stonehill, and junior Kiley Horne (Scituate, Mass./Thayer Academy) made four in the net for the Warriors.

The defenses dominated early, as each side managed only two shots in the first half. Wheaton made an early save on a point-blank attempt by DeGraan in the eighth minute, and Horne stopped a shot by senior Kirstie St. Martin (Providence, R.I./Mount Saint Charles Academy) at the other end to keep the game scoreless heading into the break.

Both sides turned up the pressure in the second half for a combined 15 shots. Merrimack threatened in the 67th minute when the Warriors were awarded a penalty kick, but the attempt by junior Jessica Peacock (Hopedale, Mass./Hopedale) clanged off the left post. They went ahead for good in the 78th minute, when DeGraan slipped a shot past Wheaton at the left corner for the 1-0 advantage.

Stonehill finishes the season at 8-8-2, with a 6-7-2 mark in the Northeast-10. Merrimack (12-4-2, 11-3-1 NE-10) will advance to postseason play.