BRIDGEWATER, Mass. (January 24, 2026) – The Stonehill College women's hockey team secured game two of its weekend series against NEWHA rival Long Island University with a 2–1 victory Saturday afternoon at Bridgewater Ice Arena. With the win, the Skyhawks improved to 12-12-2 overall and 12-6-2 in conference play, while the Sharks fell to 11-14-1 overall and 9-10-1 against league opponents.
 
Highlights

• Stonehill outshot LIU, 33–22, and controlled the faceoff circle, 24–19.
• First-year skaters Payton Palsa and Summer Combe netted their second and sixth goals of the season, respectively, with Palsa's tally standing as the game-winner.
• Sophomore Seina Spadone recorded her seventh assist of the season on Palsa's second career game-winning goal — and her second GWG in the last four games.
• Palsa and senior Brianna Walkom led the way at the dot, combining to win 16 of 21 faceoffs.
• Senior Lily Barrett blocked a team-high two shots, while sophomore goaltender Alexsa Caron turned aside 21 shots between the pipes.

 
How It Happened
Stonehill and LIU were locked in a back-and-forth battle through the early stages of the first period, with just three stoppages over the opening 10 minutes of action. Following the media timeout at the 10:58 mark, the Skyhawks seized control, peppering the Sharks' defense with 10 shot attempts over the final nine minutes of the frame. That pressure paid off at 18:15, when Combe forced a turnover along her defensive blue line and broke in alone, slipping a shot past Victoria Rutnik for her sixth goal of the season to give Stonehill a 1–0 lead heading into the first intermission.

The two teams traded early penalties to begin the second period, with LIU earning a power-play opportunity at the 5:06 mark. Stonehill's penalty-kill unit, backed by Caron, stood tall to preserve the lead. Just 42 seconds after the successful kill, Palsa capitalized on the momentum, doubling the Skyhawks' advantage with her second goal of the season.

Stonehill continued to apply offensive-zone pressure in the third period, recording 15 shot attempts to LIU's two over the first 12 minutes of the final frame. Despite the sustained push, Rutnik and the Sharks' defense kept the game within reach. LIU finally broke through at 17:45, as Grace Babington fired home her ninth goal of the season to cut the deficit to one. The late surge, however, came up short, as the Skyhawks' defense closed out the contest to secure a 2–1 victory and three points in the standings on home ice.
 
Up Next
Stonehill (12-12-2, 12-6-2 NEWHA) returns to action next weekend for a home-and-home series against NEWHA rival Assumption University. Puck drop of Friday's opener between the Skyhawks and Greyhounds from the Worcester Ice Center is set for 4 p.m.

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