Box Score GORHAM, Maine – Four different players scored as the University of Southern Maine Huskies defeated the Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors 5-1 in a Little East Conference field hockey game Saturday afternoon at Paula D. Hodgdon Field in Gorham, Maine.
The win halts a two-game slide for Southern Maine and improves its record to 4-6 overall and 2-1 in the Little East. The Warriors fall to 2-5 overall and remain winless in the conference at 0-3.
USM junior forward Whitney McDaniel (Livermore, Maine/Livermore Falls) led the Husky offense with a pair of goals, including the game-winner. Junior back Joanna Gaube (Woodstock, Conn./Pomfret School), sophomore forwards Rachel Trafton (Corinth, Maine/Central) and Laura Campbell (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) each scored a goal.
Trafton put USM ahead early notching her first goal of the season at the 1:34 mark; however, the Warriors were able to battle back and even the score in the 28th minute when senior forward Ashley Del Vechhio (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Warde) cracked the Husky defense for her first goal of the season off of a nifty give and go assist from junior forward Ali Chapman (Watertown, Conn.).
The score remained knotted up at one goal each before McDaniel slotted in her first goal of the game in the 33rd minute to provide the Huskies with a 2-1 lead into the halftime break. In the second half, Southern Maine quickly increased its advantage to two goals when McDaniel took all of 38 seconds to bang in her team-leading eighth goal of season off of a through ball from sophomore forward Kailey Bubier (Auburn, Maine/Hebron Academy).
Gaube and Campell each scored their first goals of the season in the 47th and 49th minute respectively for the 5-1 final.
USM freshman goalkeeper Emily Downing (Sanford, Maine) earned the win for the Huskies playing the initial 46:32 on the game. Downing did not make a save in her start. Senior goalkeeper Rachel Lolley (Gorham, Maine) turned in a fine performance in relief of Downing, making six saves over the final 23:38.
Eastern Connecticut senior goalkeeper Tia Mucciarone (Franklin, Mass.) made three saves and allowed two goals in 34:06 of action before leaving the game following a collision. Junior goalkeeper Danielle Reichardt (Ocean Township, Conn.) played the final 35:54 making one save.
Southern Maine travels to Worcester State on Wednesday (7:00 p.m.). Eastern Connecticut hosts Western Connecticut State on Wednesday (6:00 p.m.)
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