Smith posted her sixth-striaght multi-goal game to lead the Skyhawks today. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
Smith's torrid scoring streak continues with four goals and an assist
EASTON, Mass. (September 30, 2017) – Junior All-American Kacie Smith (Norwood, Massachusetts/Norwood) fired in another four goals and totaled nine more points to lead Stonehill College to a 5-3 victory over Adelphi University in Northeast-10 Conference field hockey action on Timothy J. Coughlin, '80 Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium this afternoon.
Smith netted a hat trick for the third straight game with her sixth-straight multi-goal effort, finishing with four goals and an assist for the nine-point day. The NCAA leader, regardless of Division, for scoring with 62 points has moved into second place on the program's single-season lists for goals (25), assists (12) and points. Her goal total is tied with former All-American and National Player of the Year Erika Kelly '16 for second all-time behind Kelly's program record of 38 in 2013, while her assist total is tied with Ashley Freeman '08 and Sarah Morse '17, just two behind Kelly Latendresse's '07 single-season mark of 14, and Smith's scoring total trails just Kelly's single-season mark of 78 in 2013. Smith has now totaled 61 goals and 24 assists for 146 points in 51 career games played. She ranks second in program history for career goals and points and is tied with Morse for fifth in assists.
Sophomore Samantha Day (Hampstead, New Hampshire/Pinkerton Academy) also netted a goal for Stonehill, while junior Sara Freedman (Hopkinton, Massachusetts/Hopkinton) registered five saves in goal. The Skyhawks held a 21-12 advantage for shots and an 8-4 edge in penalty corners. Senior Amanda Gargiulo (Westbury, New York/W.T. Clarke) posted seven saves in the Adelphi goal.
Senior Libby Mercuri (Chelmsford, Massachusetts/Chelmsford) netted two goals for Adelphi, while sophomore Elissa Frein (Carle Place, New York/Carle Place) contributed a goal and assist.
Freedman finished with five saves for the Skyhawks (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
Stonehill grabbed the lead when Smith scored from the left side off a pass from the top of the arc by sophomore Michaela Antonellis (Watertown, Massachusetts/Watertown) 12:24 into the game. Smith doubled the Skyhawks lead 16-minutes later with a long carry from the left side to the right of the goal for a blast from seven yards out. She finished her third straight hat trick 3:35 into the second half, off a feed from junior Carly Andersen (Cheshire, Connecticut/Canterbury School).
Adelphi got on the scoreboard and netted the first goal against Stonehill in four games at W.B. Mason Stadium this season at 40:19 when Frein tipped in a shot from the right side by freshman Danielle Kempf (Burnt Hills, New York/Burnt Hill-Ballston Lake). The Skyhawks answered right away when Day scored her third of the year off a pass from Smith 37-seconds later at 40:56.
Smith capped her four goal afternoon at 48:43 when she collected her own rebound and fired it past the keeper for her 25th goal of the year. Adelphi made a run with the last two goals in the closing 11-minutes, both off Mercuri's stick. The first came off her own rebound at 49:54 and then she tipped in a pass from the right side by Frein at 56:02.
Stonehill (7-3, 4-0 NE10) is back in action on Wednesday, when it hosts Assumption College for its Play for the Cure Game, at W.B. Mason Stadium at 4 p.m. Adelphi (2-7, 1-4 NE10) visits the University of New Haven on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
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