EASTON, Mass. (September 19, 2024) – Junior Hannah Anselmo netted a pair of goals to help lead the Stonehill College women's soccer team to a shutout, 3-0, victory over Northeast Conference opponent Howard University. The Skyhawks improve to 2-7 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while the Bison drop to 1-4-4 overall and 0-1 against conference opponents.

Highlights

• Stonehill's shutout victory over Howard marked its second shutout of the season. The clean sheet marks the most in a season since the Skyhawks had three clean sheets throughout the 2022 campaign.
• Anselmo's two-goal outing marked the first of her collegiate career. The junior also surpassed her previous single-season career-high mark of two goals in 2021 by netting her second and third of the season against the Bison.
• First-year goalkeeper Allie Sougaris recorded her first career win and first career shutout in goal for the Skyhawks.
• First-year student Erin Foley found the back of the net for her first collegiate goal.
• Graduate student Meghan Lord and younger sister, Martha Lord each recorded their first assists of the season.
• Senior Melea Earley tallied the lone shot on goal for the Bison.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Trinity Knox registered three saves in the net for Howard.

How it Happened
Stonehill wasted no time jumping out to an early lead in its NEC opener against Howard. Just 50 seconds into the contest, Anselmo found the back of the net for her second goal of the season and first of the game. A cross into the middle of the pitch off the boot of Martha Lord was redirected off a Bison defender and onto the foot of Anselmo, who then rifled a shot past a diving Knox, giving the Skyhawks an early 1-0 lead.

Following the game's opening tally, Howard would apply sustained offensive end pressure with three corner kicks and one-shot attempt by Earley, all coming within a four-minute span between the 5:08 and 8:38 marks of the first half.

Stonehill would threaten to extend the lead throughout the remainder of the opening 45 minutes with a pair of high-quality scoring chances coming from both Foley and senior Grace Caso. However, Knox would stifle the Skyhawks' bids for the back of the net and keep the game at 1-0 in favor of Stonehill heading into the halftime break.

Coming out into the second half of action, both sides would play throughout the middle third of the pitch until the 60:05 mark, where Stonehill would double its advantage on the board. Meghan Lord sent a cross-field pass to Anselmo, who sent a perfectly placed lead pass upfield to a sprinting Foley. In stride, Foley tapped the ball past Knox and inside the left post for her first career goal, giving Stonehill a 2-0 lead.

Just over four minutes later, Caso would draw a foul just outside the 18-yard box and be awarded a free kick. Following the drawn foul, Anselmo would step up to the ball and send the free kick into the top right corner of the goal, marking her second of the game and third over the last two matches.  

At the 70:20 mark of the conference matchup, Earley would send a shot in on goal for Howard from 25 yards out, forcing Sougaris to make a jumping save to push the ball over the top of the net. Following the Bison scoring opportunity, Sougaris and the Skyhawks back-line would lock down its first NEC win of the season by a final score of 3-0.

Up Next
Stonehill (2-7-0, 1-0-0 NEC) returns to action on Sunday, traveling to Staten Island, N.Y., to take on Wagner College. Opening kickoff between the Skyhawks and Seahawks is set for 1 p.m.

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.