ERIE, Pa. (February 15, 2025) – Senior Sharn Hayward (Penguin, Tasmania) scored 24 points and knocked down seven three-pointers to lead Stonehill College women's basketball to a Northeast Conference win at Mercyhurst, 69-62, at Owen McCormick Court Saturday afternoon.
 
Leaders

Hayward led all scorers with 24 points, going 8-of-15 from the field and 7-of-13 from beyond the arc to go with two rebounds and one assist.
 
Graduate student Kylie Swider (Portsmouth, R.I.) scored 14 points, making seven of her 10 shot attempts with eight rebounds, one assist, and one block.
 
Sophomore Brooke Paquette (Hudson, N.H.) led the Skyhawks with nine rebounds while tallying 13 points, three steals, two assists, and one block.
 
Mercyhurst's Bailey Kuhn led the Lakers with 22 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, and one block.
 
How it Happened

Stonehill opened the game with a 12-2 scoring run as the Skyhawks hung onto their 10-point lead through the end of the first quarter, leading 18-8 after one. Hayward knocked down three three-pointers in the opening frame to lead Stonehill with nine points.
 
Hayward hit her fourth three of the game to start the second quarter, but the Lakers came storming back, going on a 13-3 run to tie the score, 21-21. The score would remain tied at the break, 27-27, with Kuhns leading the Mercyhurst comeback with 11 second-quarter points.
 
The Lakers took a three-point lead, 39-36, with under three minutes to go in the third, but a Hayward three-pointer tied the score as the teams continued to go back and forth, ending up tied at the end of three, 44-44.
 
Stonehill's offense came out firing in the fourth, scoring 15 points in the first five minutes of action to build a nine-point lead, 59-50, capped off by Haywards' seventh three of the game. The next seven points came from the Lakers as Mercyhurst stayed within two points, 62-60, with two minutes to play.
 
After a Kuhns layup tied the score, 62-62, stout defense for the Skyhawks held Mercyhurst scoreless for the remainder of the game. Stonehill pulled away with the 69-62 win to pick up the NEC victory on the road.

Noteworthy

• Hayward scored in double figures for the sixth straight game, the 21st time this season, and the 33rd time of her career. Her seven-made threes tie the second-most she's hit in a game this season as she's knocked down at least five in seven games.
• Swider scored in double figures for the 10th straight game and 17th time this season.
• Paquette reached double-digit points for the fourth straight game, marking the 15th time she's done so this season. Paquette also led the team in rebounding, matching her career-high of nine boards.
• With its third straight, Stonehill improves to 8-3 in NEC play this season, securing a hold on second place by one game over Saint Francis, who is 7-4.

Up Next

• Stonehill women's basketball (12-12, 8-3 NEC) hosts Wagner (6-17, 3-8 NEC) at Merkert Gymnasium on Thursday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. for its annual Black History Month game.

Tickets for home Stonehill basketball games can be purchased in advance online at stonehillskyhawks.com/tickets.

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