EASTON, Mass. -– Stonehill, ranked fourth in this week's poll, matched its best start in program history with a fourth-consecutive 3-1 score line in a victory against Franklin Pierce in non-conference field hockey action at Timothy J. Coughlin Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium Wednesday.
Stonehill has now won its first seven games of the season, matching the best start in the program's 17-year history set in 2007. Senior Kelly Gouveia led the Skyhawks, who staked out a three goal halftime lead and held on the rest of the way, with two goals. Classmate Kelsey Davis added a goal, while sophomores Maggie Travers and Erika Kelly chipped in with assists.
Junior Elizabeth Genovese made three saves to preserve the win for Stonehill. The Skyhawks finished with a 24-7 advantage for shots in the contest and held a 15-7 break in penalty corners.
Freshman Amy Zahensky posted 12 saves in the Franklin Pierce cage. Senior Chanelle Letarte scored the lone Ravens goal, with classmate Alesia Gleason collecting an assist.
Gouveia put Stonehill on the board just 3:17 into the contest when she got her stick to a drive from the upper right corner of the arc by Travers and tipped the ball into the cage at the right post. Davis doubled the Skyhawks lead at 18:14 with a rebound in behind Zahensky off an initial shot by Kelly for her second goal of the season. Gouveia put Stonehill in front by three goals at 27:16 when she tipped in a pass from the left side by Kelly on a counter attack.
Letarte provided hopes for a Franklin Pierce comeback when she put the Ravens on the scoreboard 7:54 into the second half by one-timing a pass from the left side at the far post into an open net. Franklin Pierce would get no closer as Genovese recorded a pair of second half saves for Stonehill.
