Wheaton led the Skyhawks with four points. (PHOTO BY Denise Archetto) |
Wheaton leads Skyhawks with four points as Skyhawks notch comeback win
WORCESTER, Mass. (April 5, 2017) – Stonehill College, ranked No. 19 in this week's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II poll, outscored Assumption College 6-1 in the second half to claim an 11-7 triumph in Northeast-10 Conference women's lacrosse action at Multi-Sport Stadium tonight.
Freshmen Jennifer Wheaton (Dartmouth, Massachusetts/Dartmouth) and MacKenzie Pleshaw (Franklin, Massachusetts/Franklin) paced the Stonehill attack, while classmate Bailey Grant (Chelmsford, Massachusetts/Chelmsford) recorded eight saves to back a Skyhawks defense which allowed just nine shots in the second half. Wheaton totaled four points with two goals and two assists, while adding three ground balls, three draw controls and a caused turnover. Pleshaw scored two of her three goals in the second half to spark the comeback win.
Junior Taylor Shannahan (Mendham, New Jersey/Morris Catholic) added two goals and an assist for three points for Stonehill, collecting four ground balls. Grant made four saves in each half for Stonehill, helping limit Assumption to just 2-for-7 shooting on free-position shots, including 0-for-2 in the second half, as the Skyhawks finished with a 30-23 edge in shots overall. The Greyhounds held a 14-6 advantage in draw controls, while turnovers were even as 12 apiece.
Pleshaw netted three goals, including two in the second half to spark the Skyhawks rally. (PHOTO BY Denise Archetto) |
Freshman Amanda Burns (Billerica, Massachusetts/Billerica Memorial) paced Assumption with two goals and three assists for five points with five draw controls, three ground balls and a caused turnover. Sophomore Sarah Reilly (Fairfield, Connecticut/Fairfield-Warde) added two goals and an assist for three points, while junior Caitlin Graves (Ashland, Massachusetts/Ashland) netted a pair of goals. Senior Jaclyn Chirco (Hopkinton, Massachusetts/Hopkinton) registered seven saves in the Greyhounds goal with two ground balls and a caused turnover.
Stonehill wrapped a seven goal run around halftime to erase its fifth two-goal deficit of the first half and rally for the win. Pleshaw scored the first two goals of the second half to put the Skyhawks in front for good 4:16 in. Wheaton added a goal and assist during the Skyhawks seven goal run, netting the final goal of the opening half with just 14-seconds remaining to pull the visitors back within a goal.
Freshman Kaitlin Healey (Westwood, Massachusetts/Westwood) followed Pleshaw's two goals with her ninth goal of the year less than two minutes later to give Stonehill a two goal edge. Sophomores Linna Jalinskas (Farmington, Connecticut/Farmington) and Logan Snelling (Duxbury, Massachusetts/Duxbury) followed with goals less than four minutes apart and then Shannahan capped the run with her second of the day and eighth of the year with 2:48 remaining as the Skyhawks sealed the win with a three goal burst in the closing seven minutes.
Stonehill (5-5, 4-3 NE10) is back in action on Saturday when it hosts American International College for an NE10 matchup at W.B. Mason Stadium at 1 p.m. Assumption (4-4, 3-3 NE10) visits Bentley University on Saturday at 11 a.m.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
