Sophomore Mary Lee Mahony led the Skyhawks with six points this afternoon. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

Mahony's six points leads Skyhawks to third-straight win

EASTON, Mass. (March 24, 2012) – Stonehill College, ranked seventh in this week's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II poll, closed out a three win week with a commanding 22-3 triumph over Southern Connecticut State University in Northeast-10 Conference women's lacrosse action at W.B. Mason Stadium this afternoon.

Sophomore Mary Lee Mahony (Yardley, Pa./Villa Joseph Marie) led Stonehill to its third-straight win and fifth in six games overall this season with six points on three goals and three assists. Freshman Cassandra McGill (Westborough, Mass./Westborough) netted a season-high five goals, converting both free-position attempts, while classmate Mikayla Couch (Towaco, N.J./DePaul Catholic) contributed five points on a goal and two assists with four ground balls.

Junior Heather Sullivan (Andover, Mass./Andover) finished with three goals and an assist for four points, while classmate Kayla Green (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) posted two goals and an assist for three points.

Freshman Cassandra McGill netted a season-high five goals for Stonehill. (PHOTO BY Shane Bufano)

Junior All-American Rebecca Moore (Marlborough, Mass./St. Mark's School) played all 60 minutes in goal for Stonehill and had three saves. Junior Lynette Martinez (Stamford, Conn./Westhill) went the distance in goal for Southern Connecticut State and finished with 17 saves. Stonehill posted a 46-10 advantage for shots, converting 2-of-4 free-position opportunities, while the Owls were 2-for-5. Draw controls were even at 13-13 and the Skyhawks were successful on 16-of-19 clear attempts, while Southern went 6-for-20.

Senior Elaina Heiple (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire) netted two of Southern Connecticut State's three goals in the contest, to go with four draw controls. Junior Jessica Shaw (Beverly, Mass./Beverly) scored the remaining goal and also contributed four ground balls, five draw controls and four caused turnovers.

Mahony opened the scoring 1:18 into the match with an unassisted goal, before Shaw forced a tie with a free position marker a minute and a half later. Stonehill then reeled off six straight goals, two by Green, as the Skyhawks began to take control. Mahony and Couch both contributed a goal and assist during the run. Heiple scored her first goal of the day with 13:17 left in the half, but the Skyhawks recorded the final seven goals of the half to take a 14-2 lead into the intermission after McGill's third goal of the closing run with two seconds left on a free position shot. Freshman Brooke Rudden (Hopkinton, Mass./Hopkinton) netted two goals during that stretch as well.

Mahony opened the second half scoring with an unassisted marker 33-seconds in as Stonehill scored the first eight goals of the half to go up 22-2 before Heiple capped the scoring with 53-seconds to play. Mahony had a goal and two assists in the half for the Skyhawks while Couch and McGill scored twice and Sullivan notched a goal and assist.

Stonehill (5-1, 3-0 NE-10) returns to action on Tuesday when it visits Bentley University for a Northeast-10 matchup at 7 p.m. The Skyhawks return home on Saturday, April 7, to host defending National Champion Adelphi University at 11:30 a.m. Southern Connecticut State (1-5, 0-4 NE-10) hosts the University of New Haven on Monday at 4 p.m.