Skyhawks Edge Merrimack Behind Hickey, Conte, 2-1

Hickey scored her fourth goal of the year and also converted in the shootout to help lead the Skyhawks to their first NEC win (PHOTO BY Brian Foley)

EASTON, Mass. (October 8, 2022) – Stonehill College made its home debut at the NCAA Division I level a memorable one, notching a 2-1 shootout victory over Merrimack College in Northeast Conference field hockey action on Timothy J. Coughlin, '80 Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium this afternoon. 

Highlights

• Stonehill sophomore Shannon Conte played an impressive game guarding the goal, with nine saves, and then didn't yield a Merrimack goal in the shootout to preserve the win.
• Junior All-American Raegan Hickey led the Stonehill offense with a goal during regulation time, and then also converted during the shootout.
• Sophomore Abby Allen scored the lone goal for Merrimack.
• Freshman Makayla Strickulis joined Hickey in scoring shootout markers to lift the Skyhawks to the victory.

How It Happened

• The first three quarters saw neither side able to break through the opposing goalkeeper, until Hickey scored her team-leading fourth goal of the season just 25-seconds into the fourth quarter, with an assist from junior Meghan Bean.

• Conte made nine saves and held the Warriors scoreless in the shootout (PHOTO BY Brian Foley)

  Merrimack struck for an equalizer with just 2:32 to play in regulation with Allen netting her second goal of the season that would force overtime.
• The two teams would play through a scoreless pair of ten-minute overtime sessions, sending the contest to a shootout to decide.
• Hickey gave Stonehill an edge on Stonehill's second shootout try, before Strickulis converted on the next for a two-goal cushion after three attempts.
• Conte did the rest, stopping all four Merrimack tries, sealing the win by forcing junior Lauren Burke wide on the Warriors' fourth attempt.

Up Next

Stonehill (2-5, 1-1 NEC) returns to action on Sunday, when it visits Wagner College for an NEC clash on Staten Island at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks return to W.B. Mason Stadium next Friday, October 14, to host Rider University for an NEC matchup at 3 p.m. Merrimack (0-11, 0-2 NEC) visits Fairfield University on Sunday at 1 p.m.

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