Oct 29, 2005
Stonehill 1, Bentley 0
LOWELL, Mass.-- Sophomore Caitlin Gleasons (New Boston, N.H.) 12th goal of the season 6:30 into the second half lifted sixth-ranked and second-seeded Stonehill to a 1-0 victory over seventh-ranked and third-seeded Bentley in semi-final round play of the 2005 Northeast-10 Conference Field Hockey Championships Saturday afternoon at UMass Lowells Cushing Field.
The Skyhawks, who extended their school-record winning streak to 13 straight with the triumph in improving to 17-2 on the season, advance to their first-ever Northeast-10 championship match on Sunday afternoon to take on third-ranked and top-seeded UMass Lowell (18-2), as the River Hawks set a school record with their 16th straight victory in posting a 5-2 triumph over eighth-ranked and fourth-seeded Southern Connecticut in Saturdays first semi-final contest.
Stonehill and Bentley played a scoreless first half before Gleason converted a pass from junior All-America Kelly Latendresse (Sidney, Maine) and tipped a high shot into the net for the only score of the match, and sophomore Dani Ryder (Gloucester, Mass.) made that stand up in goal for the Skyhawks by making four saves to collect her 17th win of the season and ninth shutout triumph. Senior Kristin Johnson (Reading, Mass.) made five stops in the setback for the Falcons (16-5), as three of Bentleys five setbacks this season have come at the hands of Stonehill, including two via shutout. The Skyhawks outshot the Falcons by a 10-7 margin for the match, including a 5-1 edge in the second half alone.
Stonehill and UMass Lowell met once during the regular season, as the two-time defending league tournament champion River Hawks overcame a 2-1 halftime deficit to post a 3-2 victory over the Skyhawks back on September 14th at Cushing Field. Stonehill has not dropped a match since that contest. Sundays championship match will begin at 1:00 p.m. at Cushing Field.
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UMass Lowell 5, Southern Connecticut 2
LOWELL, MA (Oct. 29, 2005) Junior F Sara Hohenberger (Windham, NH) scored four goals and set up another to lead the UMass Lowell River Hawks past Southern Connecticut 5-2 in the Northeast-10 Tournament semifinals this afternoon at Cushing Field.
With the win, UML will advance to the championship game to be played tomorrow at 1:00 pm. The River Hawks will face the victor of the Bentley/Stonehill semifinal match this afternoon. UMLs record now stands at 18-2 overall, while Southern Connecticut ends its season at 13-8.
SCSUs Angela Cafarelli (Enfield, CT) opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with help from Cathy Cardini (Willington, CT)to give the Owls the 1-0 lead.
Exactly one minute later Hohenberger struck for her first score of the contest when she slipped a Michelle Harrington (Rockport, MA) pass just inside the left post to tie the game 1-1. In the 30th minute Hohenberger set up Courtney Hill (Newburyport, MA) to give UML its first lead of the game 2-1.
Hohenberger would score again in the final minute of the first half with help from Kim Villare (Chelmsford, MA) to send UML into the break with a 3-1 lead.
Cafarelli and Cardini would combine again in the 48th minute to bring the Owls within one at 3-2. But Hohenberger sealed the deal for the River Hawks, scoring goals in the 57th and 62nd minutes with the assistance of Villare and Josselyn Mroz (Salisbury, MA).
Several UML school records were matched or broken this afternoon. The victory was the 16th straight by the team, breaking the previous mark of 15 consecutive victories set last season. Additonally, the win was goalkeeper Nicole Staitis (Barre, MA) 37th career victory, tying the standard set by Patrice Mendoza (2000-03). Finally, Hohenberger collected another record today with nine points in the contest, besting the record of eight by Susan Gehm in 1983. The four-goal outburst was the first of Hohenbergers career and her second hat trick of this campaign, as she opened the season with three goals at Bryant.
Staiti stopped three shots while her SCSU counterpart Casey Sanford (North Haven, CT) made 11 saves for the Owls. The River Hawks held a 12-6 advantage in penalty corners.
