Junior Christine Moodie scored the only goal of the day for Stonehill- and in the process ended AIC's streak of eight consecutive shutouts to begin 2013.

Skyhawks account for first goal against AIC in 2013

EASTON, Mass. (October 5, 2013) – The Stonehill College women's soccer team fought back valiantly, but was unable to handle #7 American International College's potent offense, as Stonehill dropped a 4-1 contest to the Yellow Jackets in Northeast-10 competition today at Skyhawk Field.

American International, which came into today's match ranked seventh nationally and first in the east region, wasted no time in getting its offense going, as sophomore Alyssa Werbicki (Chicopee, Mass./Chicopee Comprehensive) found the back of the net just over eight minutes into the game. Werbicki collected a rebound following Stonehill captain goalkeeper Amy Wheaton's (Dartmouth, Mass./Dartmouth) save on a shot by American International forward Sonia Basma (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook/Montgomery College), firing it right past Wheaton for the first goal of the match.

The Yellow Jackets would extend their lead to two in the 13^th minute, when Basma tallied her ninth goal in nine games this season. The AIC lead remained at two until the 68^th minute, when Yellow Jacket forward Caroline Boyce (Canterbury, N.H./Eagle Hill School) curved the ball directly into the net on a corner kick to put the visiting squad ahead, 3-0. Boyce would later score the Yellow Jackets final goal of the contest on an assist from Basma.

Despite the loss, Stonehill did find a silver lining when midfielder Christine Moodie (Littleton, Mass./Littleton) put the Skyhawks on the board in the 69^th minute. With that goal, Stonehill became the first team this season to penetrate the vaunted American International defense, ending the Yellow Jackets streak of eight consecutive shutouts to begin the season.

Stonehill players were presented with the Fred C. Petti Team Academic Award before today's match.

Prior to the start of today's contest, the women's soccer team was presented with the Fred C. Petti Team Academic Award for the 2012-2013 academic year. This award is given annually to the Stonehill athletic team with the highest GPA for fall and spring semester combined per academic year.

At halftime, Stonehill honored its 1993 women's soccer team, 20 years after one of the most successful seasons in program history. The '93 squad, coached by Jose Gomes, was the first in program history to capture the Northeast-10 conference regular season and tournament championships, posting a 15-3-2 overall record, including an unbeaten 7-0-2 mark in conference play. Seven players from the team were named to either the All-Northeast-10 first or second team at the conclusion of the historic season. Fourteen members of the team, including coach Jose Gomes, were in attendance today and recognized during the halftime ceremony. The match also drew support from several current Stonehill athletic teams, which were on hand to support the women's soccer team in the 2013 Purple & White Game.

Stonehill's 1993 women's soccer team was honored in a halftime ceremony.

Stonehill (3-6-2, 3-3-1 NE-10) will be off for a week before returning to action next Saturday, October 12^th at Assumption College. The Skyhawks then play the following Wednesday at Merrimack College, and finally return to Easton to host Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday, October 19^th. American International (9-0-0, 7-0-0 NE-10) will now gear up for perhaps the most anticipated game of the season in the NE-10, as the  #7 Yellow Jackets host #3 Saint Rose on Tuesday night in a showdown of Top-10 nationally ranked NE-10 juggernauts.

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