EASTON, Mass. – The Pace University field hockey team concluded its first season as a varsity program at the University in a 4-0 Northeast-10 Conference defeat at No. 9 Stonehill College Friday evening at W.B. Mason Stadium. The loss leaves the Setters with a final 2015 season record of 6-12 and 3-9 against the NE-10, while Stonehill improves to 11-6 overall, and 9-3 in conference play.
 
Both teams remained scoreless into the 12th minute of play before Lauren Giordano slipped one past Lesly Sanchez Alvarez (Stamford, CT/Stamford) to put the Skyhawks up, 1-0. The Setters aimed to knot things even at one apiece in the 14th minute when freshman Katrina Mikitish (Pittston, PA/Pittston Area) blasted one on net, but Stonehill keeper Dana Dhami came up with the key save.
 
After the Skyhawks stretched the lead to 2-0, freshman Halley Rose (Dauphin, PA/Central Dauphin) looked to build on her team-leading seven goals when she cranked a shot on goal, but again the Setters were denied by Dhami. Stonehill almost added to its lead late in the first half. Giordano sent another shot that was headed for the back of the cage in the 32nd minute, but it was stopped by Alvarez to hold action at 2-0 heading into halftime.
 
Pace had several scoring chances in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Sophomore Margaret Maclean (Ellicott City, MD/Centennial) put a shot on net in the 39th minute before freshman Josephine Hoestra (Den Haag, Zuid-Holland/Lyceum-Ypenburg) sailed one of her own in the 40th minute, both of which were halted by the Stonehill netminder. Freshman Quirine van der Meijs (Hilversum, The Netherlands/Comenius) tried to build on her hot streak in the 45th minute, sending a shot on goal that was again rejected by Dhami. Freshman Paige Predmore (Harrisburg, PA/Susquehanna Township) and van der Meijs each added shots late in the half that were both denied before the Skyhawks netted two more goals to win the game, 4-0.
 
van der Meijs led the Setters with two shots on goal. Hoestra took a pair of shots, one of which landed on net while Rose, Mikitish, and Maclean each sent one shot on goal.
 
Alvarez played all 70 minutes in the cage, surrendering four goals while registering three saves.
 
For the Skyhawks, Dhami picked up the 4-0 shutout, surrendering zero goals while recording six saves.
 
Friday's NE-10 showdown concluded the Pace University field hockey team's first-ever season in program history. The Setters picked up their first win of the season back in September when Samantha Gray (Greenlawn, NY/Harborfields) hit the back of the cage in overtime against Mercy College. Just one week later, against then No. 5 ranked LIU Post, Maclean scored a double-overtime game-winner to give Pace the upset, proving that the Setters were not to be taken lightly in the conference. Pace took advantage of home field advantage at Peter X. Finnerty Field this season, ending the year with a 4-3 record at home while outscoring opponents by an 11-8 margin.
 
Freshman Jane Kasparian (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) kicked off the awards for the Setters as she picked up Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Field Hockey Rookie of the Week honors following the early upset over No. 5 LIU Post. Rose later added to the field hockey trophy case, earning the same award in October.
 
Rose led the Setters with seven goals and 17 points in the program's inaugural season. van der Meijs was close behind, registering 12 points behind four goals and four assists, including a team-high three game-winning scores. She earned 10 points alone in the team's final six games of the season. Gray ranked second on the team in goals with five, while Maclean ended the year with two goals and two assists. She also ranked second in the NE-10 with six defensive saves this season.
 
The Pace defense was stout for the majority of the season as well. The trio of junior Brittany Predmore (Harrisburg, PA/Susquehanna Township/Lock Haven University), Paige Predmore (Harrisburg, PA/Susquehanna Township), and freshman Jessica D'Angelo (Holbrook, NY/Sachem East) anchored a Setters unit that allowed just 2.14 goals per contest.
 
Alvarez was the primary goaltender for the Setters during the 2015 campaign. She ended the year with a 6-8 record, allowing 27 goals while recording 79 saves, ranking her sixth in the NE-10.
 
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