Cara Corvino led the Skyhawks defense with five caused turnovers and four ground balls. (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix)

Kirk's 11 saves the key as Pioneers win second straight

EASTON, Mass. (March 12, 2017) – LIU Post, ranked No. 4 in this week's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II poll and No. 8 in the US Lacrosse Magazine poll, used a late first half surge to take control and a strong defensive effort to claim a 10-5 victory over Stonehill College, ranked No. 19 in the IWLCA poll and No. 20 in the US Lacrosse Magazine poll, in non-conference women's lacrosse action on Timothy J. Coughlin '80 Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium today.

Junior goalkeeper Olivia Kirk (Farmingdale, New York/Farmingdale) backboned LIU Post's defensive effort with 11 saves in the Pioneers' goal, collecting three ground balls. Stonehill held a 19-13 advantage in shots for the contest, but was just 1-for-5 on free-position shots, including 0-3 in the first half, while LIU Post converted 3-of-6 tries, including 3-for-4 in the first half.

Sophomore Morgan Lannig (Syosset, New York/Syosset) was among three LIU Post players with three points and three with a pair of goals as she recorded two goals and an assist with a caused turnover. Freshmen Jill LoManto (Miller Place, New York/Rocky Point) and Alyssa Mallery (Wantagh, New York/Seaford) each registered a goal and two assists for the Pioneers, while Mallery added four ground balls, two draw controls and two caused turnovers.

Senior Connor Bird (Syosset, New York/Syosset) netted two goals for LIU Post, while also totaling three draws, two caused turnovers and a ground ball, while sophomore Ryan McKinney (Downingtown, Pennsylvania/Downingtown) also chipped in with a pair of markers.

Stonehill held nearly every statistical edge in the contest, but was unable to crack the LIU Post defense with consistency. In addition to its edge in shots, the Skyhawks held a 10-7 advantage for draw controls, forced 17 LIU Post turnovers and limited the Pioneers to 11-for-16 on clear attempts, while converting 8-of-13 themselves and finishing with 13 turnovers, including eight in the second half. Five different players netted goals for Stonehill, with junior All-American Kelly Healey (Westwood, Massachusetts/Westwood) scoring one of those to go with three ground balls, three draw controls and a caused turnover. Younger sister, freshman Kaitlin Healey (Westwood, Massachusetts/Westwood) added a goal with a draw, ground ball and caused turnover.

Kelly Healey was one of five goal scorers for the Skyhawks with three ground balls, three draws and a caused turnover. (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix)

Senior Shannon Booth (Pearl River, New York/Nanuet) netted a goal to go with two ground balls and a caused turnover, while classmate Elizabeth Vetter (Great River, New York/East Islip) and freshman MacKenzie Pleshaw (Franklin, Massachusetts/Franklin) each chipped in with goals. Junior Bailey Herr (Oakhurst, New Jersey/Ocean Township) had two stops in the Skyhawk goal over the final 31:56 in relief of classmate Kaitlyn Hess (Guilderland, New York/Guilderland), who yielded seven goals over the opening 28:04, with two ground balls and a caused turnover.

With the game knotted at two goals apiece after Kaitlin Healey's second goal of the season with 14:40 remaining in the first half, LIU Post reeled off four straight to open a 6-2 lead after LoManto's second goal of the year with 5:02 left in the frame. Mallery assisted on the last two Pioneer goals during that run. Vetter's seventh goal of the year broke up the run with 3:02 to play, but McKinney capped the first half scoring with a free-position goal to send the visitors into halftime with a four goal cushion (7-3).

Kelly Healey opened the second half scoring with her second of the year 6:19 into the half to pull Stonehill back within three, but LIU Post scored the next three goals within a ten minute span to seal the win, the final two set up by LoManto.

Stonehill (1-2, 0-0 NE10) is scheduled to be back in action on Wednesday when it opens its Northeast-10 Conference schedule at Saint Anselm College at 7 p.m. The Skyhawks return home on Saturday, March 18, to host Franklin Pierce University at 1 p.m. LIU Post (3-1, 0-0 ECC) visits American International College on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.

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