LORETTO, Pa. (September 26, 2024) – Three second-half unanswered goals propelled the Stonehill College women's soccer team to a decisive 4-1 win over Northeast Conference opponent Saint Francis University Thursday afternoon. With the victory, the Skyhawks improved to 3-8 overall and 2-1 in conference play, while the Red Flash fell to 3-5-2 overall and 1-1 against conference opponents.
 
Highlights

• Stonehill's win in Loretto marked its first win on the road since defeating Adams State University, 4-0, back on August 26, 2022.  
• The Skyhawks are now tied for the NEC lead with three total wins, including two in conference play.
• Senior Grace Caso registered her first career brace after netting a pair of second half goals in addition to dishing out an assist on sophomore Kayla Cassidy's first collegiate goal.
• Senior Karleigh Schultz scored her first goal of the season and fourth of her career off junior Hannah Anselmo's team-leading third assist of the season.
• First-year goalkeeper Allie Sougaris posted four saves on the day to pick up her second career win for the Skyhawks.
• Senior Tomke Dziesiaty scored the game-tying goal for the Red Flash early in the second half. The goal marked Dziesiatys' first of the season.
• Senior goalkeeper Emma Sawich made eight saves in goal for Saint Francis.

How it Happened
Sougaris would be called into action early inside the Skyhawk's goal. Just over two minutes into the conference matchup, the first-year goalkeeper had to make a diving save to keep the Red Flash off the board early.

At the 11:57 mark of the game, graduate student Meghan Lord nearly gave Stonehill the first lead, sending a shot just wide of the right-side post of the Red Flash goal. Over the next 25 minutes of play in the first half, the Skyhawks would hold the lead in possession of the ball, outshooting Saint Francis 5-3, with a pair of corner kicks also coming over the time span.

With just under 10 minutes remaining in the opening half, Stonehill would find the back of the net to take a one-goal lead into the halftime break. After forcing a turnover at midfield, Caso sent a through ball up to a fast-breaking Cassidy, who rifled a shot into the top-left corner of the Red Flash net, marking the first goal of her collegiate career.

Heading into the second half, Saint Francis would find the equalizer. At the 50:44 mark of the contest, Dziesiaty would head the ball into the back of the net off assists from senior classmates Bella Pesce and Lauren Pyle.
Despite the Red Flash leveling the game at one aside early in the second half, the Skyhawks would respond with three unanswered goals throughout the final 30 minutes of play.

At the 61:41 and 62:42 marks of the game, Caso forced a pair of Saint Francis turnovers in the Skyhawks offensive end of the pitch and capitalized on both, recording her first career two-goal outing.

Following Caso's two-goal minute, Stonehill settled into a defensive mindset, holding the Red Flash without a shot attempt, corner kick, or offensive opportunity until the 79:10 mark, when Sougaris came up clutch with her fourth save of the game, preserving the Skyhawks' two-goal lead.

However, in the 86th minute, Anselmo would connect with Schultz out in front of the Saint Francis net to put the game out of reach late as Stonehill walked away victorious by a final score of 4-1.

Up Next
Stonehill (3-8-0, 2-1-0 NEC) returns home to Easton, Mass., on Thursday to host Le Moyne College. Opening kickoff between the Skyhawks and Dolphins is set for 6 p.m., under the lights at WB Mason Stadium.

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