Hill Records Seven Points as Huskies Handle Beacons 10-4

Cierra Hill Had Three Goals and Four Assists in Saturday's Win

NEWTON, Mass. – Junior Cierra Hill (Pembroke, N.H./Pembroke Academy) recorded a career-high seven points on three goals and four assists on Saturday afternoon as the University of Southern Maine Huskies defeated the UMass Boston Beacons 10-4 in Little East Conference women's lacrosse action. Hill also played exceptional defense with

five ground balls and caused five turnovers in the win. Senior Elaina Hanselmann (Sanford, Maine) and fifth-year senior Kiaya Gatchell (Portland, Maine/Deering) also had hat tricks for the Huskies. Hill had the assist on all three of Hanselmann's goals plus the assist on Gatchell's goal to complete her hat trick. Gatchell had an assist, two caused turnovers and two ground balls.
 
The Huskies shutout the Beacons in the second half with Hill scoring all three of her goals and recording two of her assists in the half. Senior goalkeeper Lydia Laslavic (Thomaston, Maine/Oceanside) had three saves in the second half shutout and finished with six total saves. The Huskies also played tight defense and caused 11 turnovers in the half.
 
The Records:
Southern Maine: 6-3 (1-1 LEC)
UMass Boston: 5-4 (0-2 LEC)
 
Series History:
This is the first time that the two programs have played. The UMass Boston women's lacrosse program is in its second season and its first as a member of the Little East Conference.
 
The Goaltenders:
Southern Maine: Lydia Laslavic (6-3), 60:00, four goals allowed, six saves
UMass Boston: Elizabeth Crowley (2-2), 52:49, nine goals allowed, seven saves
UMass: Boston: Emerson Homa, 7:11, one goal allowed, two saves
 
How It Happened:

• Neither team was able to score back-to-back goals in the first quarter as the team traded goals three times. Gatchell accounted for the first score just under five minutes to the quarter by working around the UMass Boston defense and ripping a shot past Crowley. The Beacons tied the game on a backhanded shovel shot by Rae Alexander from Jamie McAleave. It took less than a minute for the Huskies to regain the lead when Hill set up Hanselmann in front of the net for a goal. UMass Boston then tied the game again on a Teresa Sheedy goal after she collected a ground ball and found space to shoot. Each team then scored on a man-up opportunity to end the quarter. Hill found Hanselmann once again for the Southern Maine score and Hannah Rich scored on a free-position attempt for the Beacons.
• The Beacons started the quarter on the up and Ava Duffy spun around a Husky defender to give her team the lead 26 seconds into the quarter. The lead would be their only one of the game as the Huskies then scored seven unanswered goals. Sophomore Ella Burnell (Biddeford, Maine) tied the game at 4-4 on a free-position shot for the first goal of her career. The bounce shot that beat Crowley was the first shot of her career. Gatchell gave the Huskies the lead once again with her second goal of the game with 5:35 left in the half. Sophomore Eliza Pattershall (Readfield, Maine/Maranacook) had the assist on the goal by Gatchell.
• Hill sparked a 3-0 run for the Huskies in the third quarter. First, she scored an up-goal 41 seconds into quarter to extend the lead to 6-4. She then teamed up with Hanselmann to complete the latter's hat trick before scoring again on a feed from Gatchell with 10:52 left in the quarter.
• Hill completed her hat trick with a free-position goal just over five minutes into the fourth quarter. The last goal of the game came with 1:26 left on the clock after Gatchell caught a pass from Hill and turned and fired a shot for a hat trick of her own.

 
Inside The Stats:

• Hill's seven points are a career-high surpassing the mark of six that she set twice, most recently in a win against Clark University on March 19.
• Pattershall had a game-leading four draw controls despite the Beacons leading 10-7 in the category. Sheedy and McAleavey led UMass Boston with three each.
• Hill led the Huskies in caused turnovers with five followed by her sister, junior Britney Hill (Pembroke, N.H./Pembroke Academy), with three. Another pair of sisters, junior Maddie Kinney (Topsham, Maine/Mt. Ararat) and freshman Calista Kinney (Topsham, Maine/Mt. Ararat) were also big factors in the Huskies' defensive game. Each Kinney caused two turnovers, and they combined for seven ground balls with Maddie recording four and Calista recording three.
• Pattershall and sophomore Lizzy Hallee (Norway, Maine/Oxford Hills) each caused two turnovers as well.
• The Huskies led 17-8 in shots on goal and 25-14 in total shots.
• The Beacons led 27-20 in ground balls thanks to five apiece by Sheedy and Angelina Mazzone.
• Southern Maine went 2-for-3 on free-position shots while UMass Boston was 1-for-3.

 
Up Next:
The Huskies return to action on Monday at 4:00 pm on the road at Colby College. Colby is currently ranked fifth in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division III Coaches Poll.