PORTLAND – A strong second half showing by the University of Southern Maine stole a game away from the University of Maine at Farmington women’s lacrosse team (0-4, 0-1) with a, 16-7, non-conference win on Thursday afternoon.
Ayla Allen (Rumford) only needed twenty-three seconds to score the first of her game-high three goals. Sierra Gilley (Harpswell) sent a pass to Allen, who gave the Beavers the early, 1-0, lead.
The Huskies scored two unanswered goals but then Allen took control with two goals of her own to claim a, 3-2, advantage two minutes into the game.
Jaclyn Langevin (Bow, N.H.) increased the UMF lead with a man-up goal at the 16:45 mark. Four minutes later, USM scored one of its four man-up goals to draw within a goal of tying the game.
Carly Raymond (Topsham) added an insurance goal for Farmington but the Huskies added two more goals in the final eight minutes to tie the game, 5-5, at the break.
USM dominated the second half with 11 goals in the final period. UMF claimed two goals in the last two minutes; one from Maddi Kadnar (Belgrade) after Gilley recorded her second assist of the game. After dishing two assists, Gilley scored a goal of her own as Raymond was credited with the assist.
Alaina Shorey (Lebanon) led the Beavers by scooping up five ground balls and the nation’s leader in ground balls per game, Rhi Jackson (Saco), grabbed four balls off the turf.
Patty Smith (Gorham) had a solid afternoon with 16 saves and also picked up four ground balls.
UMF resumes conference play with a showdown at Husson on Tuesday.
