BRIDGEWATER, Mass. (February 27, 2026) – The Stonehill College women's hockey team opened postseason play with a strong performance, defeating rival Long Island University, 3–0, in game one of the New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) Quarterfinals on Friday night at Bridgewater Ice Arena. With the shutout victory, the Skyhawks improved to 17-16-2 overall on the season, while the Sharks fell to 18-16-1.
 
Highlights

• Seniors Gracie Sacca and Lily Geist netted their 10th and fourth goals of the season, respectively, while first-year forward Summer Combe scored her second career game-winning goal in the opening period.
• Seniors Hannah Squires, Maddi Achtyl, Mia Kenmore, and Bailey Feeney, along with juniors Makenna Slocum and Peyton Wise, and first-year Bella Sacca, all recorded assists.
• At the faceoff dot, seniors Brianna Walkom and Kenmore led the way, combining to go 10-for-19 (above 50 percent) on draws against the Sharks.
• Squires posted a game-high three blocked shots, while Wise and Sacca each fired a team-best four shots on goal.
• Senior goaltender Eve Stone earned her eighth victory of the season — and the eighth shutout of her career — stopping all 38 shots she faced in a dominant performance against LIU.

 
How It Happened
Stonehill controlled play throughout the opening 20 minutes, outshooting LIU, 14–4, in the first period. After a scoreless first 12 minutes, the Skyhawks broke through at the 13:21 mark with what proved to be the game-winning goal. Squires sent a neutral-zone feed to her defensive partner, Sacca, who carried the puck into the zone and found Combe. Combe fired a shot over the stick of LIU goaltender Victoria Rutnik for her ninth goal of the season — the most by a Stonehill rookie since the program's inaugural 2022-23 campaign, when Alexis Petford set the rookie record with 28 goals.

Stonehill doubled its lead just 3:03 into the second period. Following a strong transition into the offensive zone, Sacca capitalized on a loose puck outside the crease after an initial shot from Wise in the slot, netting her 10th goal of the year to give the Skyhawks a 2-0 advantage.
LIU responded with sustained pressure in the middle frame, outshooting Stonehill 17–10 in the period. However, Stone and the Skyhawks' defense held firm, preserving the two-goal cushion heading into the third.

Four minutes into the final period, while on the power play, Stone delivered a pivotal breakaway save against LIU's Milana Butera to maintain the narrow edge. Moments later, at the 7:48 mark, Geist extended the lead to 3-0, finishing off assists from Feeney and Kenmore to provide crucial breathing room.

Despite trailing by three, LIU continued to push offensively, ultimately outshooting Stonehill 34–16 over the final 40 minutes of regulation. Still, the Skyhawks' defensive unit and Stone between the pipes stood tall, securing the 3-0 shutout victory in game one of the NEWHA Quarterfinals.
 
Up Next
Stonehill College (17–16–2, 16–10–2 NEWHA) continues its best-of-three series against LIU at the Bridgewater Ice Arena tomorrow at 1 p.m.

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