EASTON, Mass. (October 11, 2024) – Stonehill College extended its win streak to three games with a second-straight shutout performance in a 2-0 victory over Merrimack College in Northeast Conference field hockey action on Timothy J. Coughlin, '80 Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium this evening.
Highlights
- Sophomores Tyra Stark and Karleigh Mirabile provided the offense for Stonehill with a goal apiece.
- Senior Shannon Conte notched the shutout for a second-straight game with three saves for the Skyhawks.
- Junior Isabelle Gardiner finished with ten saves in goal for Merrimack.
How It Happened
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Mirabile (center) has scored in two-straight NEC contests for the Skyhawks (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)
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Stonehill jumped in front just 2:41 into the contest with the only goal it would need when Stark pounced on a Merrimack clearing attempt deep in the Warriors defensive end and shot her team-leading fourth goal of the season into the left side of the cage.
- The Skyhawks doubled their lead 6:01 into the second quarter when freshman Hannah Bickford doled her second assist in as many games, with her cross from the right side connecting this time with Mirabile for her second goal of the year.
- Conte and her defensive support of sophomore Julieta D'Antonio and freshmen Mary Collins, Tia-May Harlos and Jill Miller did the rest, limiting Merrimack to just a single shot in each quarter and one penalty corner.
- Conte made two of her three stops in the second half to make the two-goal lead stand.
Noteworthy
- Stonehill improves to 4-0 in its home games this season, including a 2-0 mark at W.B. Mason Stadium where it has won three-straight dating back to last season.
- Conte posted her fourth career shutout this afternoon in her 45th career start. She has not yielded a goal for the last 133:35 dating back to early in the fourth quarter of Stonehill's 3-2 overtime triumph against Rider University a week ago.
- Conte enters Sunday's game ranked fourth in program history with 352 career saves – just one behind Dani Ryder, '08 (353) for third all-time.
- Stark's team-leading four goals are now tied for ninth among NEC leaders and matches her season total from her freshman year in 2023.
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Bickford dished an assist for the second-straight game for the Skyhawks (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)
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Stark collected her fifth career game winning goal, with five of her eight career markers game winners.
- Mirabile has scored in back-to-back NEC contests with her second goal of the year (fourth career).
- Stonehill improves to 2-1 in NEC play with the win and into fifth place in the Conference standings, a half game behind Saint Francis University, Wagner College, Fairfield University and Rider who are all tied atop the NEC standings at 3-1.
- The Skyhawks two NEC wins match their previous high in three years as Conference members set in 2023 when they finished 2-5 in league play.
- Stonehill has won the last three meetings with Merrimack dating back to the two program's time in the Northeast-10 Conference with today's victory.
Up Next
Stonehill (4-8, 2-1 NEC) is right back in action on Sunday, when it hosts Queens University of Charlotte in a contest that will be played on the campus of Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island, at noon. Please note the time change for this contest from its originally scheduled time. Merrimack (0-10, 0-3 NEC) visits Fairfield for an NEC matchup on Sunday at 1 p.m.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and check out its all-new website, powered by Sidearm Sports, at stonehillskyhawks.com.
