FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2015
Warriors and Skyhawks Advance as Top Four Seeds
Fill Out NE-10 Final Four in Field Hockey Championship Field
Merrimack and Stonehill advanced to the Northeast-10 Conference Field Hockey Championship Semifinal round with wins earlier today. Here's how both games were decided.
#3 Merrimack 4, #6 Bentley 0 | BOX SCORE
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Freshman Mary McNeil posted the third multi-goal game of her rookie season to lead sixth-ranked Merrimack to a 4-0 victory in the Northeast-10 Quarterfinals at Martone-Mejail Field on Tuesday.
McNeil would carry over the staggering offensive production she displayed throughout her rookie season right into her first-career postseason game, as she would add her team-leading 13th and 14th goals of the season in consecutive fashion.
Her first would come in the 30th minute on a scrum in front of the net after having an initial shot stopped. Sophomore Rylie Hammond would corral that rebound and fire a shot that would also be stopped, but the third time was a charm as McNeil would scoop up yet another rebound, making a slick move to her forehand and putting it by the keeper.
Her second would come in the 40th minute on a highlight-reel effort. Sophomore Taylor Simpson put a shot on net from the top of the circle that was tipped by Hammond on it was to the net. A Bentley defender would make a nice defensive save in net, but the ball would ricochet from the save up into the air. With the ball above her head, McNeil would two-hand swat it out of the air with her stick and into the goal for her second.
McNeil's goal would be bookended by scores from junior Hannah Magerman and senior Lindsay Dobecki in the first and second half, respectively. Magerman's goal came on a gritty effort in front of the net. After having her first shot stopped by a great full-extension save, Magerman remain composed and put the rebound by the keeper for the first score of the game.
Dobecki's goal came with just over five minutes remaining in the game, extending the lead to 4-0 and serving as all but a dagger for the Falcons. She would put a hard shot on net from the right post about 10 yards out, keeping the ball low and finding the lower left goal for her seventh of the season.
On top of all the offense, the Warriors backline played outstanding in the game, allowing Bentley just one shot on goal in each half to help give senior Madison Davis her fifth shutout of the season.
#4 Stonehill 2, #5 Saint Anselm 1 | BOX SCORE
Stonehill's Erika Kelly, the Northeast-10 Conference's all-time leading goal scorer, would score the game-winning goal in the 2nd half to break a 1-1 game, and ultimately, send the Skyhawks to the NE-10 Semifinal Round.
Freshman Kacie Smith started the scoring just two-and-a-half minutes into the game to give the 4th-seeded Skyhawks an early 1-0 advantage. Midway through the half, however, Saint Anselm's Jamie McNamara would score to tie the game at one.
The game would stay that way until Kelly would provide the defending conference champions with the decider. Her NE-10 best 94th career goal early in the 2nd half would be the difference. Stonehill will now head to Garden City, N.Y. to take on top-seeded Adelphi in Friday's semifinals.
Information for this release provided by the Merrimack and Stonehill Athletics Communications Staffs
2015 Northeast-10 Field Hockey Championship
1. Adelphi (10-2) *
2. Assumption (10-2) *
3. Merrimack (9-3) ^
4. Stonehill (9-3) ^
5. Saint Anselm (9-3) ^
6. Bentley (7-5)
* Adelphi earns the top seed based on a head-to-head win over Assumption.
^ Both Merrimack and Stonehill had wins over Adelphi (with a loss to Adelphi, Saint Anselm claimed the #5 seed). Merrimack earned the #3 seed based on a head-to-head win over Stonehill.
Tuesday, November 3rd
First Round
Game 1: #3 Merrimack 4, #6 Bentley 0
Game 2: #4 Stonehill 2, #5 Saint Anselm 1
Friday, November 6th
Semifinals
Game 3: Stonehill at #1 Adelphi (TBD)
Game 4: Merrimack at #2 Assumption 7 p.m.
Sunday, November 8th
Championship (to be held at highest remaining seed)
Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner
ABOUT THE NORTHEAST-10
The Northeast-10 Conference is an association of 15 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that is committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 6,500 student-athletes.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE-10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the Northeast-10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
