Seahawks exit CCCs; hopeful for ECAC bid

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Senior Erin Bibber (Charlton, Mass.) scored a pair of goals to help top-seeded University of New England defeat No. 4 Salve Regina University by a 4-1 margin in the semifinals of the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Field Hockey Championship, played Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 5) at the Big Blue Turf.

The Nor'easters (15-6) advance into the conference title match for the second straight year, and will meet third-seeded Endicott (a 2-1 come-from-behind winner over No. 2 Gordon) to decide the league champion on Saturday (1 p.m.).

Salve Regina (13-7) will now wait until Monday for word on a possible bid into the ECAC New England Championship field.

Big Blue struck just over eight minutes into the contest, as sophomore Nicole Matarozzo (Wolfeboro, N.H.) weaved her way through defenders and around the goalie to shoot into an open cage.

At the 13:32 mark, first-year Vonde Saunders (Center Conway, N.H.) worked along the right end line and pushed through a crowd in front, sending the ball towards the left post where Bibber tipped it in. The Nor'easters maintained the 2-0 lead into the halftime break.

The Seahawks were awarded a penalty stroke in the 38th minute and senior Alexandria Rizzo (Hopedale, Mass.) converted it, slicing the deficit in half (2-1).

UNE first-year Olivia Madore (Arundel, Maine) restored the two-goal cushion in the 46th minute, putting a slight redirection on a long hit into the circle by senior Kayla Lambert (Bedford, N.H.). Bibber then capped the scoring in the 63rd minute, carrying possession up the field through traffic, cutting through the middle, and hammering a shot past the goalie.

The Nor'easters out-shot their opponents, 25-12, and a 6-1 advantage in penalty corners following intermission left things level at 8-all.

Big Blue received five stops from sophomore Holly Smith (Peabody, Mass.) and a defensive save out of senior Beth Sullivan (Cumberland, R.I.) to record a sixth consecutive win against SRU.

Salve Regina senior netminder Murphy McCann (Westerly, R.I.) logged eight saves in the setback.