Senior Kirsten Rene scored just 3:32 into the match to send Stonehill on to its sixth-straight win as the Skyhawks clinched a postseason berth. |
Stonehill Blanks Le Moyne, 2-0
Hickey stops eight shots
for fourth-straight shutout
as Skyhawks clinch postseason berth
EASTON, Mass. (October 24, 2009) - Stonehill College, ranked tenth in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, clinched a spot in the upcoming Northeast-10 Conference women's soccer tournament with a 2-0 victory over Le Moyne College on Senior Day as part of Alumni Weekend at Skyhawk Field today.
Stonehill extended its winning streak to six matches, five of which have been by shutouts - including each of the last four contests. Sophomore Sarah Hickey (Lee, Mass./Lee) made eight saves to post her fifth clean sheet of the season for the Skyhawks, extending her scoreless streak to 378:19. Sophomore Melissa Stevens (Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee) made four saves in goal for Le Moyne as the teams finished the match even in shots at 11 each.
Junior Michele Norton also scored a goal for the Skyhawks. |
Senior Kirsten Rene (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) netted the only goal Stonehill would need just 3:32 into the match when she knocked in a loose ball off a corner kick for her second goal of the season. It marks the fourth-straight match the Skyhawks have earned an early lead with a goal in the opening five minutes. Junior Michele Norton (Abington, Mass./Cardinal Spellman) rounded out the scoring just over 11 minutes later as she netted her fifth goal of the season on a deflection at 14:37.
Stonehill sits fifth in the NE-10 standings after today's play and cannot move up after fourth-place Merrimack College clinched home field for the opening round with a 2-0 win over Pace University today. The Skyhawks are just a point in front of Adelphi University and the University of New Haven and three points in front of eighth-place Saint Anselm College. Stonehill does hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Hawks, so can finish no lower than seventh pending results in the final round of regular season matches.
Stonehill (10-7-0, 8-6-0 NE-10) is back in action on Wednesday when it closes out the regular season at Saint Michael's College at 3 p.m. Le Moyne (10-6-2, 6-6-2 NE-10) hosts No. 2-ranked College of Saint Rose on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
