Mendeszoon registered her fifth two-point game of the season. (Photo Credit Mary Gettens).

WINCHENDON, Mass. (February 9, 2024) – The Stonehill College women's ice hockey team skated to a narrow, 3-2, victory on the road Friday night against Franklin Pierce. With the win, the Skyhawks improve to 14-15-2 overall and 14-9-2 against NEWHA opponents, while the Ravens drop to 14-14 overall and 13-12 in conference play.

Highlights

• Sophomore Maddison Achtyl registered her third two-goal game of the season, adding her third shorthanded goal in the process.
• Junior Josie Mendeszoon netted her sixth goal of the season before also dishing out an assist on Achtyl's game-winning goal.
• Sophomore trio of Lily Geist, Lucie Turcotte, and Maeve Carey dished out assists for the Skyhawks.
• Sophomore goaltender Eve Stone picked up her eighth win of the season in goal after tallying 13 saves in between the pipes for Stonehill.
• First-year Ella Dunn scored her first career goal for the Ravens, while classmate Lauren Maras added her fourth of the year.
• Freshman Emma Laroche recorded her first collegiate point off an assist on Dunn's first career goal in the second.
• Junior netminder Gwen Bowler posted a season-high 38 saves in goal for Franklin Pierce.

How it Happened

• Despite the Skyhawks dominating offensive possession throughout the opening 20 minutes of play, outshooting the Ravens 15-3, neither side would crack the scoresheet, playing to a scoreless game after the first period.
• Less than five minutes into the middle frame, Franklin Pierce would start the scoring as Dunn lit the lamp on her first collegiate goal off assists from Maras and Laroche at the 4:34 mark of the second period.
• However, Stonehill would respond and take a 2-1 lead just over halfway through the middle period after the back-to-back special team goals.
• Mendeszoon tied the game up at one apiece at the 9:22 mark on the power-play after stuffing the puck past Bowler in net off a rebounded shot from Geist in front. 
• After the junior forward tied the game up, Achtyl wasted little time giving the Skyhawks their first lead of the contest just two minutes later. 
• The first-line right winger retrieved the puck inside the neutral zone and went on the break, sending a shorthanded unassisted goal into the back of the cage to give Stonehill a one-goal advantage. 
• However, the Ravens would find a way to claw their way back and knot the game up at two aside as Maras lit the lamp at the 14:11 mark of the second, sending the game into the third tied at 2-2. 
• After a back-and-forth 19 minutes of action in the third, the Skyhawks would break through and score what would prove to be the game-winning goal with just 38 seconds left on the clock.

  Stone picked up her eighth win of the season in net after posting 13 saves on the night. (Photo Credit Mary Gettens).

• Carey dished a pass from the slot over to Achtyl on the right-wing side, who sent a shot over the shoulder of Bowler in the net to seal the 3-2 victory over Franklin Pierce. 

Noteworthy

• Stonehill outshot Franklin Pierce (41-15) and won the faceoff battle over the Ravens (26-24).
• Leading the way at the dot for the Skyhawks was Mendeszoon and sophomore Kathryn Karo who earned a combined 19 faceoff wins.
• Achtyl and Carey tied for the game-high with six shots on goal apiece.
• The Skyhawks league-leading penalty kill unit went a perfect 3-for-3 on opposing power play opportunities.

Up Next

Stonehill (14-15-2, 14-9-2 NEWHA) wraps up its split two-game weekend series against Franklin Pierce on Saturday. Puck drop from the Bridgewater Ice Arena between the Skyhawks and Ravens is set for 1 p.m.  

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