BRIDGEWATER, Mass. (January 31, 2025) – The Stonehill College women's hockey team faced off against Franklin Pierce in an intense special teams showdown Friday night at the Bridgewater Ice Arena. Both teams were awarded seven power-play opportunities, with the Skyhawks ultimately falling to the Ravens by a narrow 3-2 scoreline. Following the loss, Stonehill's record now stands at 10-15-3 overall and 10-8-3 in conference play, while Franklin Pierce improves to 12-10-1 overall and 12-8-1 in league competition.

Highlights

• Stonehill's two power-play goals on the day matched a single-game season-high set back on October 18 against conference rival Sacred Heart University.
• Junior Bailey Feeney registered her team-leading seventh multi-point game of the season, netting her 11th goal and dishing out her ninth assist.
• Junior Gracie Sacca extended her point-scoring streak to three consecutive games after scoring her sixth goal while on the power play in the second period.
• The junior trio of Kathryn Karo, Sydney Russell, and Maddison Achtyl each added assists of their own for the Skyhawks.
• First-year netminder Alexsa Caron posted 27 saves on 30 shots faced in between the pipes for Stonehill.
• Senior Julia Stevens netted what proved to be the game-winning tally, marking her fourth overall and third game-winning goal of the season.
• First-year defender Casey Coffey scored her first collegiate goal for the Ravens, while classmate Hailey Anderson tallied her first career multi-point game.
• Junior goaltender Jill Hertl picked up her 11th win of the campaign after holding the Skyhawks to two goals on 39 shots faced. 

How it Happened
After a back-and-forth opening 20 minutes, during which Stonehill outshot Franklin Pierce, 15-8, the Skyhawks wasted no time breaking the deadlock early in the second period. Just over a minute into the frame, a pair of precise one-time passes from Russell and Feeney set up Sacca, who fired a sharp angle shot over Hertl's shoulder and into the top corner of the net. The goal, Sacca's sixth of the season, gave Stonehill a 1-0 lead.
 
Less than two minutes later, at the 3:00 mark, the Skyhawks extended their advantage to 2-0 with their second power-play goal of the game. Karo took a wrist shot toward the net, which was blocked by Achtyl, screening Hertl in goal. Achtyl then made a point-blank attempt to shove the puck across the goal line, and a loose puck ended up in the blue paint. Feeney pounced on the rebound, scoring her 11th goal of the season and her fourth in the last three games.
 
Midway through the period, Franklin Pierce was called for a major slew-footing penalty, granting the Skyhawks a five-minute power play. Despite maintaining offensive zone possession throughout the advantage, which included eight shots on goal—one of which hit the post off the stick of Russell—the Ravens managed to hold Stonehill off the board and kept the score at 2-0 as the period neared its end.
In the final 90 seconds of the period, Franklin Pierce gained momentum when Coffey scored her first career goal, narrowing Stonehill's lead to 2-1 heading into the third period.
 
The early stages of the third period saw both teams exchange power-play opportunities and scoring chances. At the 11:43 mark, while on the power play, Franklin Pierce tied the game at 2-2 when Anderson capitalized on a rebound from an initial shot by junior Maggie Korneta.
 
With just over three minutes remaining, at the 17:07 mark, Stevens floated a shot through traffic and into the net, giving the Ravens a 3-2 lead. The Skyhawks responded by pulling their goalie with two minutes left, following a wrist shot by first-year defender Seina Spadone that hit the post. Stonehill fought hard for the equalizer in the final 1:14, but Hertl stood firm in net, stifling the Skyhawks' offensive push and securing a narrow 3-2 victory for the Ravens.

Up Next
Stonehill (10-15-3, 10-8-3 NEWHA) closes out its two-game series against Franklin Pierce on Saturday in Winchendon, Massachusetts. Puck drop between the Skyhawks and Ravens from inside the Jason Ritchie Ice Arena is set for 6 PM.   
 
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