Offense falters in the second half as Skyhawks drop top-five matchup
Kelsey Reilly led the Skyhawks with two goals and an assist. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
EASTON, Mass. (April 30, 2011) – Stonehill College, ranked fifth in this week's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II national poll, stumbled in the second half against second-ranked Le Moyne College in Northeast-10 Conference action Saturday, falling 19-9 in the regular-season finale.
Junior Brittany Brigandi (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy/UMass) led all scorers with six goals for Le Moyne, and senior Rebekah Elmer (Syracuse, N.Y./West Genesee) tallied a game-high seven points on five goals and a pair of assists as the Dolphins outscored Stonehill 10-2 in the second half to break open what had been a close game at halftime. Junior goalkeeper Kelly Fucillo (Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee) held off the Skyhawks with 10 saves.
Stonehill got two goals apiece from sophomores Kelsey Reilly (Hingham, Mass./Notre Dame Academy) and Kayla Green (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) and senior Hannah Anderson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie), and nine saves in net from sophomore goalie Rebecca Moore (Marlborough, Mass./St. Mark's School).
Stonehill struck first as Anderson took the opening draw from junior Sam Lynott (Holbrook, N.Y./East Sachem) down the left side for a goal just ten seconds into the game, but Le Moyne fired back immediately to spin off a 6-0 scoring run as Brigandi, Elmer, and senior Michelle Phillips (Johnson City, N.Y./Maine Endwell) each scored twice.
After Stonehill battled back with four of the next five goals, Elmer threatened to stifle the momentum when she converted a free-position shot inside five minutes to go in the half, but Moore picked off a pass near the crease on the next possession and set up Reilly for a run from below midfield for a goal and the Skyhawks stayed within two as they went into halftime trailing 9-7.
After seven scoreless minutes to open the second half, Le Moyne took control for good with a five-goal run to open a 14-7 gap with 16 minutes remaining. Brigandi and freshman Victoria Nies (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt) combined for three straight free-position conversions to open the half, and Brigandi put away four of her six goals in the second half to power Le Moyne. Reilly and junior Sarah Galligan (West Newbury, Mass./Pentucket Regional) connected for Stonehill's only two goals of the half, as Fucillo made five stops and shut out the Skyhawks on second-half free-position attempts.
Le Moyne put away five of the game's final six goals behind Brigandi, Phillips, and senior Mia Valletta (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna) to stretch the gap to 10 in the closing minutes.
Stonehill (14-3, 10-2 NE-10) advances to the NE-10 Women's Lacrosse Championships as the third seed, and will host sixth-seeded Southern New Hampshire University in the quarterfinal round on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m.
