GORHAM, Maine -- Senior Katie Paradis (Rochester, N.H.) scored her first goal of the season with 42.6 seconds remaining in regulation to give the University of the Southern Maine Huskies a 2-1 victory over the New England College Pilgrims in an ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) Women's East game at the USM Ice Arena Friday afternoon.

            The win was the Huskies second in three outings this season.  The Pilgrims, playing their first game since November 5, lost their second straight game to slip to 1-4-0 overall and 1-2-0 in league play.  The two sides will meet again at New England College on February 11.

            Trailing 1-0 heading into the final period, the Huskies tied the game at 9:15 when junior Alex Smith (Winthrop, Mass.) put a low shot from the left-side boards just inside the far post for a power-play goal.  Senior Jana Sacco (Niagara Falls, Ontario) and sophomore Brittany Soar (Boxborough, Mass.) picked up the assists.

            Inside the final minute of regulation, sophomore Courtney White (Medford, Mass.) picked up a loose puck in the center zone to create a 2-on-1 break with Paradis.  White swung wide to the right and slipped a pass across to Paradis who fended off the NEC back checker and deflected the puck into the roof of the net over NEC senior goalie Teraysa White (Belgrade, Maine).

            NEC pressed the final 42 seconds, including the last 32 seconds with White lifted for the extra attacker, looking for an equalizer, but was unable to get a shot on USM rookie goalie Liz Bergstorm (Chanhassen, Minn.).

            Junior Sam Hippern (Dover, N.H.) gave the visitors a 1-0 lead midway through the first period when her shot from the right wing boards eluded Bergstrom.  The unassisted marker was the third of the season for Hippern.

            Bergstrom stopped 20 shots in the game to earn her second win of the campaign.  White finished with 23 saves.

            Southern Maine looks to make it two in a row on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) when it hosts Castleton State College.  New England College will play at Plymouth State University on Saturday (2:30 p.m.).

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