FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 8, 2015
Skyhawks Win Second Straight NE-10 Crown in Instant Classic
WORCESTER, Mass. - Fourth-seeded Stonehill captured its second straight Northeast-10 Conference Field Hockey Championship with a 2-1 triumph over second-seeded Assumption at Multi-Sport Stadium this afternoon.
Stonehill (14-6, 9-3 NE-10) has now won three NE-10 tournament titles in program history with its back to back championships joining its 2005 crown. The Skyhawks now await word on a seventh NCAA Tournament bid when the selection committee makes its announcement tomorrow at 1 p.m.
Assumption (14-6, 10-2 NE-10), which won a share of the NE-10 regular season championship, also awaits word on its NCAA Tournament fate.
Senior All-American Erika Kelly, the NE-10 Player of the Year, earned her spot on the All-Championship team by scoring both Stonehill goals, including a walk-off gamewinner on a penalty corner after time had expired.
Junior Sarah Morse dished the assist on the winner and earned Most Outstanding Player honors of the Championship for her strong play turning the Skyhawks defense into offense all week. Kelly and Morse were joined on the All-Championship Team by senior back Maggie Travers.
After a scoreless first half, Kelly pushed Stonehill in front off of a corner when she took a pass from junior Shea Healy on a give and go at the top of the circle 1:31 into the second half.
Assumption equalized at 50:34 when sophomore Allison Sheahan scored her seventh goal of the season with a shot from the left side of the circle that found the bottom right corner of the cage.
Freshman Sara Freedman preserved the win with a season-high ten saves.
Stonehill held a 20-11 advantage for shots, including 13-11 on goal, while notching a 9-3 edge in penalty corners.
Freshman Sarah Bodzinski finished with nine saves in the Assumption cage to earn a spot on the All-Championship Team along with senior Sarah Frahm.
The game appeared headed for overtime, when Kelly was able to force a corner as time was set to expire. With the clock at zero, Morse's corner pass went to Kelly at the top of the arc for a drive that went through the Assumption defense and into the back of the cage for her Division II-leading 27th goal of the season.
Kelly, who has notched at least a point in all 20 games this season, and 21 straight dating back to 2014, adds to her NE-10 record goal with 98 markers in 80 career games played, while her 217 career points are two shy of the NE-10 record of 219 set by UMass Lowell's Sammy Macy (2007-10).
Information for this release provided by the 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: #4 Stonehill 4, #1 Adelphi 3, OT
Game 4: #2 Assumption 1, #3 Merrimack 0
Sunday, November 8th
Championship (to be held at highest remaining seed)
Game 5: #4 Stonehill 2, #2 Assumption 1
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.
