EASTON, Mass. (August 13, 2026) – The Stonehill College women's soccer team battled to a 1-1 draw against the University of New Hampshire in its season opener Thursday evening on the grass pitch at Skyhawk Field. The Skyhawks move to 0-0-1 overall, while the Wildcats also open the 2026 campaign with a 0-0-1 mark.
Highlights
- Senior Emma Cranston scored her first goal of the season and the third of her collegiate career.
- Sophomore Holley MacLellan recorded her first collegiate point with an assist on Cranston's second-half goal.
- Junior Martha Lord tied for the game high with three shots, while senior Lindsey Brown played all 90 minutes.
- Sophomore Jenna Hamel made her first collegiate start in goal, stopping two of three shots on target and allowing only a penalty-kick goal by UNH.
- Sophomore Taylor Sztaba and first-years Sadie O'Toole, Cam Dunn, and Allyson Cullingford each made their collegiate debuts.
How it Happened
Following a back-and-forth opening to the non-conference contest, Stonehill earned the first corner kick of the night at the 7:22 mark. Sophomore
Dani Lomuscio sent a cross into the 18-yard box, where senior
Casey Rice was waiting for the redirect. Rice's right-footed attempt, however, sailed just over the crossbar, narrowly missing an opportunity to give the Skyhawks an early lead.
The two sides continued to battle in the middle third of the pitch over the next 16 minutes before a defensive breakdown created a grade-A scoring opportunity for the Wildcats. Hamel stood tall in goal, denying Lindsay Lenhard's attempt in the 25th minute to keep the contest scoreless.
After the first half ended in a scoreless deadlock, Stonehill broke through with the game's opening goal at the 63:29 mark. MacLellan found Cranston, who deked to her left before burying a shot into the top-right corner of the UNH net to give the Skyhawks a 1-0 lead.
The Wildcats responded quickly, earning a penalty kick at 65:20. Elizabeth Finn converted the opportunity for her first goal of the season, leveling the match at 1-1.
Following the equalizer, the two sides continued to trade chances and corner kicks in an action-packed second half. In the 81st minute, O'Toole nearly put Stonehill back in front when her shot glanced off the crossbar and narrowly stayed out.
Neither side could find a late winner, as the season-opening non-conference tilt ended in a 1-1 draw, marking the second consecutive 1-1 tie between Stonehill and UNH.
Up Next
Stonehill (0-0-1, 0-0-0 NEC) returns to action Sunday, traveling to Beirne Stadium in Smithfield, Rhode Island, for a non-conference matchup against Bryant University at 1 p.m.
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