BIDDEFORD – Four different players scored as No. 19 University of New England earned a 5-0 victory over the University of Maine at Farmington in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship on Wednesday evening, Nov. 9 at the Big Blue Turf.
With the result, the Nor’easters (20-3) advance to face No. 3 Tufts University on Saturday (11 a.m.) at Ounjian Field in Medford, Mass. The Beavers conclude their season with a record of 13-5.
The initial shot of the night proved to be the deciding tally, as Marge Gardiner sent a feed from Nicole Matarozzo on a penalty corner into the left side of the cage with 4:27 gone.
Big Blue doubled the cushion in the 18th minute, when Becky Zakorchemny tipped home a drive off the stick of Olivia Madore.
UNE continued to hold the majority of play and Matarozzo picked up another helper in the 42nd minute (3-0) as Desirae LeBlanc dove to redirect Matarozzo’s hit around the UMF goalie, Patty Smith.
Bridget Cavanaugh bumped the lead up two more notches with goals in the 49th and 53rd minutes. Gardiner registered the assist on the first one, which came on a penalty corner. For the second, Cavanaugh weaved her way through some 40 yards of defenders before a backhanded strike.
Holly Smith only needed to make two saves for the Nor’easters.
For UMF, Smith logged 12 stops, while Jenessa Talarico and Nickyia Lovely were able to get a shot on goal.
The contest was the first between the in-state foes since 2011. Now in 10 meetings, the Nor’easters have won the last four.
“It was really great to be able to have two Maine teams competing with one another in an NCAA game,” commented Danielle Collins, head coach of the Nor’easters. “UMF came ready to play and definitely challenged us to execute all night.”
