Second Half Barrage Leads Pios Over Stonehill, 4-0

Thursday, October 12

Fairfield, Conn.

7 p.m.

Sacred Heart

4-7-4, 3-3-1

Stonehill

1-12-2, 1-5-1

Team	1	2	Final F
Stonehill	0	0	0
Sacred Heart	0	4	4

Photo by: John Greene

Second Half Barrage Leads Pios Over Stonehill, 4-0

10/12/2023 10:38:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Nolan sets career-high with goal

By: Cameron McClarren

FAIRFIELD, Conn. — With a second-half scoring spree, the Sacred Heart University women's soccer team broke its three-match winless streak, dispatching Stonehill College in its penultimate home match 4-0 on Thursday night.

The first half was a typical back-and-forth affair as both squads looked to open the scoring but would come up empty. SHU netminder Elyssa Kipperman was forced into three saves while her counterpart, Stonehill's Mia Jackson was able to stop two Pio attempts on frame. Barring the few chances for both teams, the first half was littered with fouls as both teams would combine for nine fouls in the first 45 minutes en route to a 0-0 scoreline at the break.

After coming up empty in the first half, the Pios scored four goals in under 20 minutes to start the second half beginning with Grace O'Hara's seventh goal of the season in the 49^th minute. After receiving a long through ball from defender Maria Nolan, O'Hara beat her defender and lobbed the ball over Stonehill's Jackson and into the back of the net to give SHU the lead, 1-0.

Just under five minutes later, the Pios doubled their advantage as sophomore Morgan Bovardi scored her seventh goal of the season, receiving a pass from first-year Shea Kelleher inside the box and slotting home a right-footed shot into the top corner of the net to give the home side a two-goal cushion.

The Pioneers continued the onslaught in the 59^th minute Kelleher's fifth goal of the season. Kelleher found a loose ball inside the Stonehill penalty area and fired a low shot into the bottom left corner as SHU ran riot to a 3-0 lead with 30 minutes to play.

Sacred Heart tacked on another goal in the 77^th minute to negate any chance of a Stonehill comeback attempt after Nolan's spot-kick conversion. With SHU threatening for its fourth goal, Stonehill's Emmy Dumaresq took down SHU's Victoria Constantine inside the box resulting in a penalty, which Nolan promptly put away with a right-footed shot into the top-right corner for her third penalty kick conversion this season, setting a new career-high in goal scoring.

The Pios continued to press until the final whistle, eventually seeing out their four-goal performance in the second half, walking away with the 4-0 victory.

Top Performers:

Maria Nolan: 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 shots
Shea Kelleher: 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 shots
Grace O'Hara: 1 game-winning goal, 1 assist, 2 shots
Morgan Bovardi: 1 goal, 3 shots
Elyssa Kipperman: 1 shutout, 6 saves

Of Note:

First year's Kelleher and Madison DiEugenio made their second career starts for the Pioneers in the 4-0 win.
O'Hara's seventh goal puts her one goal away from tying her single-season goal scoring mark (8).
With a goal tonight, O'Hara has surpassed Kristin Verrette (2011-14) for second place all-time in career goal scoring with 23 career goals and passes Verrette in all-time points with 56 after tonight. She is now four points away from tying the all-time points mark (60).
With a shutout tonight, Kipperman now has 21 career shutouts, placing her second all-time in shutouts in SHU history. Her 29 wins are also good for second all-time.
Bovardi now has points in three-straight matches which ties her career-long point streak.
Nolan has now set a career-high in goals (3) with her third penalty kick goal of the season.
Kelleher now leads all first years in scoring with five goals, two assists and 12 points.

Up Next:
The Pios return to action this weekend with a visit to Staten Island, N.Y., taking on Wagner on Sunday, October 15. Kickoff from Hameline field is scheduled for noon. Live statistics and livestream information will be available on sacredheartpioneers.com.