The Stonehill women’s lacrosse team won its first Northeast Conference (NEC) tournament championship by defeating top-seeded Le Moyne 15-8 on May 2 at Ted Grant Field in Syracuse, New York.
This victory secures Stonehill’s place in the NCAA Division I tournament for the first time. The Skyhawks now hold a 13-6 record and have achieved a program-best win streak of ten consecutive games at the Division I level, while Le Moyne finishes with a record of 14-4.
Natalie Coutu contributed two goals and four assists for six points, surpassing 200 career points. Nina Tremonte made nine saves and was named tournament Most Valuable Player. Sophia Gouveia scored four goals, recorded six draw controls, and had a career-high five caused turnovers. Taylor Green also netted four goals, while Maia Parker led with seven draw controls. Tremonte was joined on the NEC All-Tournament team by Gouveia, Parker, and Julia Kogan.
The game saw Stonehill come back from an early deficit after Le Moyne took a quick lead. Gouveia scored Stonehill’s first goal off an assist from Coutu—marking Coutu’s milestone point—and Caitlin Ruggiero tied the game soon after. The Skyhawks built momentum through consistent scoring across all quarters, including key free-position goals from Emily LaPia and Coutu before halftime.
Stonehill continued to extend its lead in the second half with additional goals from Green, Beigel, and Gouveia. By late in the third quarter they held a commanding advantage that carried through to their eventual seven-goal victory margin.
Looking ahead, Stonehill will await its NCAA Tournament placement during the selection show broadcast on ESPNU on Sunday night.
