By Christopher Hurley
Lowell Sun Sports Journalist
EASTON, Mass. (March 21, 2024) - Eve Stone is a little bruised, but her spirit remains unbroken.
| Stone posted a program-record 48 saves at the NCAA Tournament against Cornell. (Photo Credit Jim Pierce). |
The North Billerica goaltender still bears the battle scars after completing a solid sophomore season with the Stonehill College women's hockey team.
In just their second year of existence, Stone helped the Skyhawks win the New England Women's Hockey Alliance championship, earning an automatic bid into the Division 1 NCAA Division Tournament.
The talented netminder went on to make a record-setting 48 saves in a 7-1 first-round loss to No. 6 Cornell at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y., ending the Skyhawks' historic season at 21-16-2. Although it was an early exit, it didn't diminish the team's accomplishments.
"My body is definitely torn up a little bit, but it's been worth it," said Stone, 20, who recorded her 1,000th career save in the game. "This season was awesome. We had a brand-new coach (Lee-J Mirasolo), which was a big change, but she was really positive. We've done well and won our conference championship."
Stone was a pillar of strength against Cornell despite being outshot 17-3 in the first period. The 5-foot-7 goalie made 16 saves in the opening 20 minutes, with her defense blocking seven shots in total.
"It was an incredible experience playing on a big rink like Colgate," said Stone. "Obviously, Cornell is an incredible team, top six in the country. I was expecting a lot of shots, but I like those games more. I feel I play better where I'm challenged."
Stone earned the Most Outstanding Player award in the conference tournament. She was 4-0, posting a nifty 1.66 goals against average and stellar .939 save percentage. Personal stats aside, however, the strides her team made is what she's most proud of.
"We're really young," said Stone. "We have 16 sophomores on the team, myself included, and just two upperclassmen. We were at a disadvantage, but we're an athletic team and faced a lot of adversity."
Stone is a testament to her team's resilience. Despite missing six weeks with a concussion at the start of the season, she played in 28 games, including her team's last 27, sporting a 2.36 goals against average, while holding opponents to one or fewer goals 11 times.
"Usually we don't play one goalie for that many games," said Stone. "But I've been in net since November and have not stopped."
Raised in North Billerica, Stone broke in with Billerica Youth Hockey, playing on the boys team, while also skating with the Billerica/Chelmsford Youth Girls program. As an eighth-grader, she was a goalie for the Billerica/Chelmsford High girls co-op team. The puck-stopper sharpened her skills playing club hockey with the East Coast Wizards in Bedford.
| Stone |
"I just always liked the control of playing goalie," said Stone. "I can make or break a game. I know that sounds stressful, but it gives me a lot of power. I can make a big impact on the ice every single game."
A four-year letterman and starting goalie at the Rivers School in Weston, she led the team to three NEPSAC DII New England Preparatory School Athletic Council finals, including championships her freshman and senior seasons (the 2020-21 season was cancelled due to COVID). A senior captain, she earned NEPSAC Tournament MVP, All-ISL and Rivers MVP honors.
Although she drew plenty of attention from college scouts, it was the pitch she got from the Skyhawks she found most intriguing.
"I had never really heard of Stonehill before," said Stone. "I went to a bunch of showcases and camps talking to a lot of coaches. When the Stonehill coach told me about their brand-new program, I thought it would be cool to be part of something no one else has been a part of, an inaugural team."
Success did not come overnight. Stonehill lost its inaugural opener to the University of Connecticut, 7-1, but the team showed their perseverance during an impressive 19-16-2 rookie year. Stone played 14 games her freshman year, going 7-4, with a 2.32 goals against average. The stingy netminder surrendered one or fewer goals in six contests, as the team built up its confidence.
With two more seasons ahead of her, Stone is already looking forward to what the future holds for this program.
"We're excited," said Stone. "I hope we're going to be favored to win our league next year. I'm hoping to make another run at the NCAA Tournament. We made it to one game this year, we're hoping to make it to two next year, maybe three the year after that. We're just going to try our best to improve on what we can do next year."
