Smith’s clutch performance between the pipes in crunch time helped Stonehill claw back from a five-goal deficit and defeat Merrimack by a 14-13 count in both teams’ regular-season finale on Wednesday. Holding the Warriors to just one goal in the final stanza, the Skyhawks were able to find the back of the net seven times to erase a 12-7 third-quarter deficit and come out on top. With the victory, Stonehill secured the No. 4 seed and will host No. 5 Saint Francis U in first-round action of the NEC Championships on Sunday. On the afternoon, Smith notched her ninth double-figure save game of the season after coming away with 11 stops, three of which came in that pivotal fourth quarter. Adding two ground balls, the Dartmouth, MA native held Merrimack to a 3-of-7 clip on free-position attempts. This is the senior’s first NEC Defensive Player of the Week award this year, and the first for a Stonehill player in 2024.