Senior forward Claire Hourihan played a role in both Stonehill goals and ran her scoring streak to nine games today. |
#4 Stonehill Holds Off Assumption, 2-1
Hourihan notches goal and assist to lead Skyhawks to third straight win
EASTON, Mass. (October 15, 2009) - Stonehill College, ranked fourth in this week's Kookaburra/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division II poll, did all its scoring in the opening eight minutes of the contest and made it stand to record a 2-1 victory over Assumption College in Northeast-10 Conference field hockey action at W.B. Mason Stadium this afternoon.
Senior forward Claire Hourihan (East Amherst, N.Y./Williamsville North) played a role in both Stonehill goals as she notched a goal and assist - running her goal-scoring streak to nine games. Her 18 goals this season are just two shy of her own single-season program record of 20 set last fall and her 47 career goals are six behind Caitlin Gleason's career program record of 53 set from 2004-07. Sophomore Kathryn Nelson (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) also scored a goal for the Skyhawks who are now winners of three-straight and 13 of their last 14.
Freshman Britt Allen (Lincoln, R.I./Lincoln) provided the lone goal for Assumption. Junior goalkeeper Danielle Luongo (Northboro, Mass./Algonquin Regional) finished with nine saves for the Greyhounds, eight in the second half, to keep her team in the game. Junior Courtney Osier (South Dennis, Mass./Dennis-Yarmouth) made one first half stop to preserve the win for Stonehill who finished with a 19-4 advantage in shots for the game - including a 13-3 edge in the second half.
Sophomore Kathryn Nelson scored the opening goal only 5:08 into the contest. |
Stonehill got on the board just 5:08 into the contest as Hourihan and junior Courtney Foley (Wakefield, Mass./Wakefield Memorial) worked a give-and-go at the top of the arc off a penalty corner before connecting with Nelson in the middle of the arc for her eighth goal of the season. The Skyhawks doubled their lead 2:38 later when Hourihan netted her 18th of the year with a drive from just inside the top of the 16 at 7:46.
Despite tremendous pressure from Stonehill on the defensive end, Assumption was able to cut its deficit in half in the second half. Allen put the Greyhounds right back in the game with her first collegiate goal off a pass from senior Michelle Pasquale (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) following a corner at 50:42.
Stonehill pushed forward for an insurance goal that wouldn't come as Luongo made several point-blank stops down the stretch and senior back Amy Looney (Wakefield, Mass./Wakefield) cleared a ball off the line.
Stonehill (13-3, 7-1 NE-10), ranked first for the third-straight week in the NCAA Division II North Regional rankings, is back in action on Saturday when it visits LIU-C.W. Post for a non-conference clash at noon. The Skyhawks return home next Wednesday, October 21, to host Merrimack College on Senior Day at 4 p.m. Assumption (3-13, 1-7 NE-10) hosts Saint Michael's College on Saturday at 3 p.m.
