NORTH ANDOVER MASS - The Merrimack College Warriors notched their win of the season, their third in conference on a memorable senior day, when they scored four unanswered second half goals, to turn a 1-0 first half deficit into a 4-1 victory on a sunny but windy Sunday afternoon at Martone-Mejail Field.
The Basics
Merrimack: 4 (5-5-3, 3-1-1) Stonehill: 1 (1-10-1, 0-3-1)
Rapid Recap
- Merrimack began the day by celebrating the senior class of 2023 as nine players were honored before the game, those players were, Brianna CoCo, Vanessa Wainwright, Gaby Weilding, Cece Barron, Hallie Shiers, Molly Murnane, Alison Reardon, Kaitlyn Stephenson and Olivia Griffin.
- Merrimack started the game off by setting the pace, taking four shots and forcing two saves but fell behind early just 10 minutes in, when Lauren Clement scored off a cross to give the Skyhawks the lead. But the Warriors first big break happened at the 30:48 Mark of the first half when Stonehill keeper Leanne Durham was given a straight red card for hard contact. In the final 15 minutes of the half Merrimack recorded eight shots and three on target but were unable to tie the game by the end of the half.
- Merrimack found their equalizer 11 minutes into the half, when a long boot on a free kick from Lily Morgan, found Jillian Golden who headed it on to Ella Cormier to score the goal that she rightly deserved based on her play in the game before it.
- Cormier almost found her second of the game, as her rising shot in close was only denied by the crossbar.
- Merrimack's free kick ability put them in position to take the lead as Sydney Haskin's free kick was parried into the path of senior Gaby Weilding who put it the virtual open net at 68:42 of the second half.
- Just seven minutes later Lily Morgan once again create an offense with her ability to place the ball in precarious positions for the defense, her long kick on a pass from a defender found Ashley Purcell, who took the ball on a hop and she ran past the defense and scored on her own rebound to double the advantage with 15 minutes to play.
- Merrimack feeding off the momentum scored again only 40 seconds later as Emma Rogorzwnski's shot was blocked and deflected right to Sydney Haskin as she added Merrimack's fourth of the game and fourth in 19 minutes, to cap off a memorable victory and its the first time the Warriors have scored four goals or more since senior day 2018.
- Merrimack's third conference win also moves them into a second place tie with Fairleigh Dickinson University with 10 points.
Top performers/Notes
- Cormier led the team and shots with four and recorded one goal
- Haskin scored a goal and an assist
- Morgan made one save and notched the first two assist of her collegiate career
- Weliding made it a senior day to remember, scoring her first goal as a warrior as well as scoring the game winning goal
- Golden and Rogorzenski were credited with one assist each
UP NEXT
The Warriors finish out their three game home stand as they continue NEC Conference play on Thursday October 6th against the Saint Francis Red Flash, kickoff is set for 3 PM.
For continuing coverage of Merrimack College Athletics, visit MerrimackAthletics.com and follow the Warriors on Twitter and on Facebook.
