Seahawks squander pair of leads

BIDDEFORD, Maine - The University of New England Nor'easters scored four unanswered goals, including three after halftime, to take a 5-2 win over Salve Regina University in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) field hockey action Saturday afternoon (Sept. 20) at the Big Blue Turf.

After falling to Keene State in the final minute of the season-opener, the Nor'easters have reeled off five consecutive wins to improve to 5-1, 3-0 in conference play. Salve Regina dropped to 6-2 overall and is 1-2 in CCC matches. UNE has won 16 straight regular-season conference games, with its last setback coming to Nichols College on Oct. 23, 2012.

With the score tied two-all at intermission, Big Blue grabbed the lead for good just 7:20 into the final frame when sophomore Nicole Matarozzo (Wolfeboro, N.H.) maneuvered her way through several Seahawk defenders and pushed a shot into the back of the cage from close range.

The Nor'easters would double their lead just over two minutes later, as first-year Olivia Madore (Arundel, Maine) directed a centering pass from senior Erin Bibber (Charlton, Mass.) into the goal.

UNE continued to apply pressure to the Salve Regina back line and eventually came up with another insurance goal at the 66:12 mark when sophomore Brooke Marshall (Bow, N.H.) recovered a deflected shot and converted a drive from just inside the top of the circle to complete the scoring.

Salve Regina made the most of its opportunities in the early stages of the contest to build a 2-1 advantage. In the third minute, junior Marissa Gagnon (Smithfield, R.I.) knocked home a rebound for her seventh goal of the year, giving the Seahawks an early 1-0 lead.

After Bibber finished off a nifty give-and-go with Madore to tie the score in the 12th minute, junior Abigail Tepper (Foxboro, Mass.) put Salve Regina back on top less than three minutes later when she carried the ball into the circle and beat goalkeeper Holly Smith (Peabody, Mass.) from straight away.

The Nor'easters drew even in the 24th minute when senior Kayla Lambert (Bedford, N.H.) converted a centering pass from classmate Hannah Cutting (Sebago, Maine) for her first goal of the season.

Smith finished with three saves for UNE, which held advantages in shots (24-6) and penalty corners (18-4). Senior goalkeeper Murphy McCann (Westerly, R.I.) was credited with nine stops for Salve Regina.

The Nor'easters return to action Tuesday when they head to Beverly, Mass. to face rival Endicott College at 7 p.m. The Seahawks host Lasell College for a non-conference match Wednesday at 7 p.m.