SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Freshman Taylor Ross (Stroudburg, Pa.) collected a career-high 19 saves, but it was not enough as American International College fell to No. 9 nationally ranked Stonehill, 5-3, in Northeast-10 field hockey action this afternoon from Abdow Field.
With the loss AIC drops to 3-12 on the year and 2-8 in the NE-10 while the Skyhawks improve to 10-5 overall and 8-2 in the conference.
The Jackets pressured early and opened the scoring when junior Emma Heroth (Johnstown, N.Y.) raced up the right side holding off her defender as she shot to the far post for the 1-0 edge in the 12th minute.
The Skyhawks came right back down the other end, however, as freshman Kacie Smith (Norwood, Mass.) chipped home a rebound for the equalizer just over two minutes later.
Stonehill then grabbed the lead in the 18th minute as senior Erika Kelly (Watertown, Mass.) received a pass in the middle of the circle and sent an aerial shot to the back of the cage for the 2-1 advantage.
AIC tied the contest back up in the 22nd minute as it was Heroth again becoming the beneficiary of a great initial play by senior Ainslee Penfield (Greenfield, Mass.) who beat the defense and was one-on-one with the goalie, but freshman Sara Freedman (Hopkinton, Mass.) came to the top of the circle to meet her and defend the play. Heroth, however, followed and ripped home the rebound for the 2-2 tie.
Kelly tilted the score back in the visitors favor as she was awarded a penalty shot after being taken out in the circle by freshman goalie Taylor Ross (Stroudsburg, Pa.) and she beat Ross high stick side for the 3-2 score in the 44th minute.
Just minutes later the Skyhawks nearly padded their lead, but senior Emily Kollar (Lehighton, Pa.) sacrificed her body for a defensive save off a second chance effort by junior Sarah Morse (Westminster, Mass.) in the 46th minute.
In a back-and-forth game the Yellow Jackets regained the momentum as senior Erica McLean (Branford, Conn.) blasted a shot that was kicked away by Freedman, but right to the stick of sophomore Meghan Largo (Ballston Lake, N.Y.) and she ripped the ball to the back of the cage for the 3-3 game in the 50th minute.
Morse then made a fantastic play down the other end as she stick-handled between multiple defenders on her way into the circle and she fired past the stick of Ross for the 4-3 lead in the 60th minute.
It was then Kelly recording her hat-trick in the 66th minute for the final score.
Ross stopped 19 shots on the day while Freedman made five saves in the victory to improve to 9-3.
The Skyhawks held the impressive 38-16 margin in shots with a 26-9 edge in shots on target while AIC held the 9-6 advantage in penalty corners.
American International returns to action this weekend as they travel to LIU post for a 12 p.m. matchup with the Pioneers.
