Malconian picked up three ground balls in Salve Regina's loss to UNE and became the all time leader in ground balls at Salve Regina with 192 in her career.
Malconian picked up three ground balls in Salve Regina's loss to UNE and became the all time leader in ground balls at Salve Regina with 192 in her career.

Malconian becomes all-time ground ball leader

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- After surrendering the initial two scores, the University of New England women's lacrosse team finished the 1st half on a 13-1 run, en route to picking up a 21-10 victory over Salve Regina University in a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) match played Saturday afternoon (Apr. 20) at the Big Blue Turf. 

Junior Hannah Tavella (Putnam Valley, N.Y.) accounted for nearly half (6) of the UNE goals during the opening 30 minutes, on her way to a season-high and career-best-matching seven scores. 

The Nor'easters (6-8, 4-3 CCC) received a three-goal, three-assist performance from sophomore Gina Newsome (Danbury, Conn.). The second-year attacker now has 30 helpers on the season, three shy of her own school single-season record. 

Sophomore Macki Hill (York Beach, Maine) added a personal-best four goals, while classmates Hannah Warren (Harrison, Maine) and Rachel Schwaner (Holderness, N.H.) each chipped in with a pair of markers. Schwaner, Tavella, and first-year Kayla Hamel (Lewiston, Maine) combined for 13 of UNE's 16 draw controls. Junior Johanna Currier (Holderness, N.H.) collected a team-high five ground balls, and her three caused turnovers were matched by senior Nicolle Steel (Ocean City, N.J.). 

Salve Regina (2-11, 0-7 CCC) was led by first-year Lisa Pulie (Trumbull, Conn.) with three goals. Senior Jennifer Jones (Basking Ridge, N.J.) and sophomore Gina Tortorici (Deer Park, N.Y.) tallied two scores apiece, and senior Danielle Malconian (Belmont, Mass.) controlled a game-best six draws for the Seahawks. 

Goalies from both sides -- first-year Courtney Kendall (Waltham, Mass.) from UNE and junior Josephine O'Reilly (Middletown, R.I.) from SRU -- recorded 12 saves in the game. 

The visitors managed to close the gap from 10 to six (14-8) with a 5-1 spurt early in the 2nd half, but the Nor'easters allowed just two goals in the remaining 22 minutes to preserve the comfortable lead. 

UNE will compete for a potential home game in the first round of the upcoming CCC tournament its next time out, when Big Blue travels to Curry College (4-3 CCC) for the regular-season finale on Wednesday (6:30 p.m.). 

The Seahawks wrap up their conference schedule the same afternoon (4:30 p.m.) at home against Wentworth Institute of Technology.