May 15, 2005
WEST CHESTER, Pa.-- Senior All-America Colby Confer (Madison, Conn.) netted a hat trick and tournament Most Valuable Player Lauren Stone (Guilderland, N.Y.) made 10 saves as top-ranked Stonehill captured its second NCAA Division II Women's Lacrosse national championship in three seasons with a 13-10 victory over second-ranked West Chester in the 2005 NCAA Division II national championship match played Sunday afternoon at West Chester's South Campus Field.
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The visiting Chieftains completed a perfect season in finishing at 21-0 overall, as Stonehill will bring a school-record 27-game winning streak into the 2006 campaign. The Chieftains, who captured the 2003 NCAA national crown with a last-second 9-8 victory over Longwood, jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead midway through the contest on goals by Confer, senior Colette Carpenter (Massapequa, N.Y.), junior All-America Erin Acone (Bow, N.H.) and sophomore Tracey Hoffman (Nashua, N.H.). The Golden Rams, who finish at 17-2 overall with both of their setbacks coming at the hands of Stonehill, closed to within 6-4 late in ther half before Hoffman's second tally with 1:27 remaining gave the Chieftains a 7-4 lead at the break.
Junior Katelyn Martin's (Downingtown, Pa.) goal 45 seconds into the half sliced West Chester's deficit to 7-5, but Stonehill netted three straight markers, including two off the stick of freshman Kristin Darrell (West Islip, N.Y.) and another by Carpenter, to take a 10-5 lead with 15:46 remaining. The two teams traded goals before the Golden Rams closed to within one after four unanswered goals in a 3:11 stretch, including two by Martin, enabled West Chester to trail only by one (11-10) with 4:15 remaining. Stonehill iced matters with back-to-back goals in a 20 second span by Confer and senior Courtney Duggan (Billerica, Mass.) to close out the scoring and give the Chieftains their second NCAA crown.
"They (the players) carried me today," Stonehill Head Coach Michael Daly said following the match. "To finish undefeated and as the national champions is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of everyone on this team. They earned it and they deserve all the credit for it."
Hoffman and Darrell each finished with a pair of goals and an assist for three points for Stonehill, while Carpenter and Duggan each netted a pair for the Chieftains, who received a single tally a well from junior Jenny McGrath. Stone took care of the rest with her school-record 19th win in goal of the season for Stonehill, including five saves in each half of action.
Senior Kirstin McGoldrick (Havertown, Pa.) netted a game-high four goals in the setback for West Chester, while Martin finished with a hat trick and senior Neilly Oliver (Jenkintown, Pa.) added a goal and two assists for the Golden Rams, who also received a goal and an assist each from senior Caitlin Pettit (Media, Pa.) and junior Christa Somits (West Chester, Pa.). Junior Chelsea Marshall (Media, Pa.) made eight stops on the day for West Chester as each team had 30 shots on goal for the contest.
The win avenged Stonehill's 11-6 setback to West Chester in the 2002 NCAA national championship game played at South Campus Field.
