The Stonehill women’s lacrosse team defeated LIU 14-9 in the Northeast Conference semifinals at Ted Grant Field on April 30, earning its first-ever NCAA Division I Tournament berth.
This victory marks a significant milestone for Stonehill, as it is the program’s inaugural trip to the NCAA Division I Championship and its first appearance in an NCAA tournament since competing in the Division II event in 2022. The Skyhawks also become the first team from Stonehill to reach an NCAA Division I Championship for a sport affiliated with the Northeast Conference.
Head coach Katie Conover achieved her 250th career win with this result. The Skyhawks improved their season record to 12-6, while LIU finished at 10-7. This is also the second consecutive season that Stonehill has reached the NEC Final.
In Thursday’s game, Natalie Coutu contributed two goals and four assists for six points. Sophia Gouveia scored four goals and added one assist, while Grace Murphy recorded a hat trick and finished with four points. Nina Tremonte made nine saves in goal for Stonehill.
The match began with early scoring by Gouveia and Murphy, helping build a lead that LIU was unable to overcome despite narrowing the gap before halftime. Key plays throughout each quarter kept Stonehill ahead, including multiple goals by Beigel and Ruggiero during critical moments of the second half.
Looking ahead, Stonehill will face top-seeded Le Moyne (14-3) in the NEC Championship on Saturday, May 2 at noon. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
