Freshman Kaitlyn Hess finished with five saves in the Skyhawks goal. |
Gianotti posts 11 saves to lead Chargers to victory
WEST HAVEN, Conn. (March 30, 2016) – The University of New Haven, ranked tenth in this weeks' Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches' Association (IWLCA) Division II poll, pinned 14th-ranked Stonehill College with its first shutout defeat in program history with a 10-0 decision in Northeast-10 Conference women's lacrosse action at Kayo Field this afternoon.
Senior Alyssa Gianotti (Monkton, Maryland/Hereford) led New Haven to the win with 11 saves in the shutout performance as the Chargers finished with a 23-14 advantage for shots as Stonehill was held without a goal for the first time in the program's 18 seasons, snapping a string of 319 games with a goal. The Skyhawks previous low was their three goals against top-ranked Adelphi University last week. Stonehill controlled draw controls with an 8-3 advantage, but committed 15 turnovers, while clearing 11 of 15 attempts. The Chargers had 11 turnovers and was 18-for-21 on clear attempts.
Seniors Corinne Fisher (Jackson, New Jersey/Jackson Memorial) and Maya Szymanski (Framingham, Massachusetts/Framingham) led New Haven with two goals and three assists for five point games, with Fisher also contributing three ground balls, a draw control and caused turnover. Junior Caitlin O'Brien (Branford, Connecticut/Branford) scored a team-high three goals for the Chargers, while senior Alicia Busco (Agawam, Massachusetts/Agawam) registered three points off the bench with two goals and an assist.
Sophomore Kaitlyn Hess (Guilderland, New York/Guilderland) finished with five saves in the Stonehill goal. The Skyhawks were 0-for-2 on free-position shots for the afternoon. Junior Elizabeth Vetter (Great River, New York/East Islip) led the Skyhawks with three draw controls and a caused turnover.
The game was a scoreless defensive battle until Fisher set up two goals within a two and a half minute window to put New Haven on the scoreboard with less than 14 minutes remaining in the first half. She set up Szymanski for her first goal of the afternoon with 13:56 left in the frame and then dished a pass to O'Brien for her first of the day with 11:31 on the clock. Fisher then scored twice to extend the Chargers lead before halftime, netting her first goal on a free-position shot with 8:07 remaining before scoring off a Busco pass with 2:01 on the clock.
New Haven broke the game open with six second half goals, starting with O'Brien's second of the day five minutes in, assisted by Szymanski. Szymanski and senior Devon Previte (Toms River, New Jersey/Toms River North) netted back to back goals with a man advantage to extend the Chargers lead to seven goals with 13:16 to play. Busco potted the next two goals at 11:54 and 7:43 before O'Brien capped the scoring with her 17th marker of the year with just eight seconds left.
Gianotti made two saves in the opening five minutes of the second half to keep Stonehill off the board and maintain New Haven's four goal cushion and then added a third of the half less than 30-seconds after O'Brien opened the second half scoring.
Stonehill (3-3, 2-2 NE-10) is back in action on Saturday when it hosts No. 2-ranked Le Moyne College for its Purple & White Game at W.B. Mason Stadium at 1 p.m. Please note that the Stonehill admissions office will be hosting a Skyhawk Welcome Day on campus Saturday and that extra time should be allowed for locating a parking spot. Recommended parking for the game will be the Holy Cross Center lot off of Route 138 (Washington Street). New Haven (6-2, 4-0 NE-10) hosts Franklin Pierce University on Saturday at 1 p.m.
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