Hughes leads Skyhawks with career-high matching six goals, including 100^th of her career

Hughes matched her career-high with six goals, including the 100th of her career (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

EASTON, Mass. (February 24, 2024) – Stonehill College scored the game's first three goals on its way to a 4-1 lead after a quarter of play and then broke the game open with a 5-1 run to open the second half to secure a 15-6 victory over FDU in the Northeast Conference women's lacrosse opener for both in the Skyhawks home opener on Timothy J. Coughlin, '80 Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium this afternoon.

Senior Molly Mae Hughes matched her career-high with six goals, set in Stonehill's win at FDU last season, while adding an assist for seven points, three ground balls and two caused turnovers. Hughes surpassed 100 career goals with her six scores this afternoon and has now totaled 102 goals and 55 assists for 157 points in 48 career games.

Sophomore Grace Murphy totaled a trio of career-bests for Stonehill with her four goals and three assists for seven points today, adding three ground balls and two caused turnovers. Classmate Natalie Coutu contributed two goals and two assists, while senior Lilly Leach scored a pair of goals and collected seven draw controls. Senior Claire Smith registered five saves in the Skyhawks goal.

Sophomore Brielle McInaw was the lone FDU player with multiple goals, scoring two with a pair of draw controls, a ground ball and caused turnover. Freshman Nora Codianni added a goal and assist with three draw controls and a ground ball. Sophomore Skylar Goodman finished with 11 saves in the Knights goal.  

Murphy posted career-highs with four goals, three assists and seven points today (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

How it Happened

• Stonehill staked out an early three goal lead, capped by Hughes' first two goals of the day 30-seconds apart within the first 6:09 of the contest.
• Hughes capped the first quarter scoring with her third of the game with six-seconds to play on the player advantage after freshman Maeve Chamberlin put FDU on the scoreboard midway through the frame.
• After the two teams traded single goals in the second quarter, Hughes sparked a 5-1 Stonehill run over the first ten minutes of the third that extended the lead to seven goals (10-3) after her fifth of the day with 5:04 left in the frame. Her first of the half 1:59 into the third quarter, assisted by Murphy, who tallied two goals and two assists in the third quarter alone, marked Hughes' 100^th career goal.
• FDU wrapped a 3-1 run over a 12-minute span between the third and fourth quarters, led by a goal and assist in the final 4:19 of the third from sophomore Riley Eaton.
• McInaw's second of the game pulled FDU back within five (11-6) with 7:22 to play in the fourth, but Stonehill closed the game out with four goals from four different players in the final six minutes. Coutu had a hand in three of those markers with a goal and two assists.

Noteworthy

• Stonehill has won four-straight NEC games dating back to last season, when it won the final three Conference games of its inaugural NCAA Division I season. The Skyhawks are now 6-3 in NEC play since the transition.
• Hughes has scored 12 goals in two career games against FDU, netting a career-best six markers in the two Stonehill wins.
• Murphy has multiple goals in each of the Skyhawks first two games, totaling seven goals and four assists for a team-high 11 points this week.
• Coutu's has a career-high four points in Stonehill's first two games of the year.
• Sophomore Emily LaPia dished out a career-best two assists, while scoring a goal for a career-best three points.

Up Next

Stonehill (1-1, 1-0 NEC) returns to action on Wednesday, when it hosts Boston University here at W.B. Mason Stadium at 4 p.m. FDU (0-5, 0-1 NEC) visits Manhattan College next Saturday at 3 p.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.