Smith posted her tenth career double-digit save total with 11 of her 16 stops in the first half alone (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

Barkate controls possession with 12 draw controls and three points, while Riley notches five goals and an assist to lead Crimson

EASTON, Mass. (April 16, 2024) – Harvard University, ranked No. 24 in this week's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) poll, scored the first seven goals of the contest and controlled possession throughout in posting a 13-3 victory over Stonehill College in a non-conference women's lacrosse matchup on Timothy J. Coughlin, '80 Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium this afternoon.

Senior Riley Campbell paced a Harvard attack that racked up 48 shots with five goals and an assist, collecting three ground balls and a caused turnover. Senior Maddie Barkate collected 12 of the Crimson's 14 draw controls as the guests finished with a 14-5 advantage on the draw, adding two goals and an assist with two ground balls, while classmate Ilana Kofman also totaled two goals, an assist and two ground balls. Senior Callie Hem chipped in with a pair of goals for the Crimson.

Senior Claire Smith again shined in the Stonehill goal, keeping the hosts within touch with her eighth double-figure save game of the season, including the sixth over the last eight contests, by making 11 of her 16 stops in the first half and adding three ground balls and a caused turnover. Senior Chloe Provenzano finished with four saves in 45-minutes in goal for Harvard, conceding one goal.

Sophomore Natalie Coutu had a hand in two of Stonehill's goals with a goal and assist, while seniors Molly Mae Hughes and Lilly Leach each netted goals. Senior Karly King was also a key member of the Skyhawks defensive unit that hung in and forced nine turnovers with three caused turnovers and five ground balls.

Coutu had a role in two of the Skyhawks goal with a goal and assist (PHOTO BY Mary Gettens '23)

How it Happened

• Harvard outshot Stonehill 17-3 and won four of five draw controls in the first quarter but mustered just a four-goal lead after 15 minutes with two goals each from Hem and Campbell. The duo pushed the Crimson in front by a pair of goals as Hem opened the scoring 1:27 into the contest and then Campbell followed less than three minutes later.
• Stonehill held Harvard there until Hem followed with her second of the game off a pass from Barkate with 3:22 remaining in the opening quarter and then Campbell added her second with 11-seconds left.
• Harvard would go on to score the first seven goals of the game, but Smith kept Stonehill within touch with 11 first half saves, including six in the opening quarter alone.
• Barkate and Kofman extended the Crimson lead to six goals less than four minutes into the second quarter, before Campbell's third of the day provided the visitors with a seven-goal lead with 9:51 remaining in the half.
• Hughes got Stonehill on the scoreboard off a pass from Coutu with 8:47 remaining, but Barkate added her second of the game to round out the first half scoring with a free-position goal with 5:41 left.
• Harvard put the game away from there, outscoring Stonehill 5-0 in the third quarter as Campbell added two goals and an assist as the Crimson extended the run to six goals and a 13-1 lead after sophomore Kate Gilliam scored a free-position goal with five-seconds remaining in the frame.
• Stonehill scored the only two goals of the fourth quarter on free-position attempts as Leach added her 36^th goal of the season with 7:01 remaining and then Coutu added her 22^nd of the year with 1:13 to play.

Noteworthy

• This afternoon marked Stonehill's first matchup with a nationally ranked opponent at the NCAA Division I level.
• Smith's eighth double-digit save total of the season gives her ten over her career in 24 career starts. She has 14-plus saves in four of the last six games, with her 16 stops today one shy of the career-high total she set against LIU last week.
• Smith is the ninth goalie in Stonehill history to surpass 200 career saves after her 16 stops tonight, entering the weekend with 210 stops in 30 career games.
• Leach will enter Stonehill's next game with 97 career goals after her marker this afternoon and is two draw controls shy of becoming just the second in program history with 300 career draw controls – just 15 behind Kelsey Reilly's, '13 program mark of 313.
• Coutu has multiple points for the second-straight game and 13^th time in 14 games this season. Her NEC-leading 35 assists are ranked eighth on Stonehill's all-time single-season list.
• Stonehill (5-3 NEC) enters Saturday's NEC home finale against Saint Francis (6-2) a game behind the Red Flash for fourth place in the Conference standings and hosting rights for a NEC Tournament first round matchup. The Skyhawks can clinch a spot in the NEC Tournament with a win or Merrimack College (3-5) loss at Delaware State University this weekend. Wagner College (4-4) is a game behind Stonehill who owns the head-to-head tiebreaker in the matchup.

Up Next

Stonehill (6-8, 5-3 NEC) closes out its four-game homestand at W.B. Mason Stadium on Saturday, when it hosts Saint Francis for an NEC matchup on Senior Day at noon. Harvard (9-3, 3-2 Ivy League) visits Columbia University on Saturday at 1 p.m.

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