Box Score GORHAM, Maine – Junior Caroline Falcone (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan) scored a pair of goals to lead the Bates College Bobcats to a 3-1 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a non-conference field hockey game Thursday afternoon at Hannaford Field.
With the win, Bates snaps a seven-game losing streak and improves to 2-7 overall. Southern Maine falls to 4-8 with the loss.
With both teams battling back and forth in the opening half, Falcone gave the Bobcats a 1-0 lead with her first goal of the game in the 26th minute. After a feed from sophomore Alex Eliopoulous (Akron, Ohio/Western Reserve), Falcone beat USM keeper Kayla Kennedy (Windham, Maine) with a well-placed shot to the near post.
The score held through the half and 15 minutes into the second stanza before senior Polly Merck (Beverly Farms, Mass./The Governor's Academy) converted a penalty shot for her first goal of the season and a 2-0 Bates lead in the 51st minute. The Huskies' rallied to pull to within a goal of the Bobcats in the 54th minute when junior Peyton Dostie (Standish, Maine/Bonny Eagle) netted her team-leading ninth goal of the season. Dostie blasted in the goal following a penalty corner and a give-and-go play from freshman Leanne Reichert (Portland, Maine). With the Huskies pushing for the equalizer, Bates closed the door on any come-back bid as Falcone scored her team-leading seventh goal of the season in the 66th minute for a 3-1 Bobcat lead.
Bobcat sophomore Cristina Vega (Needham, Mass./Dana Hall) earned the win making six saves. Kennedy took the loss, making 10 saves. Bates outshot USM 17-11 and had a 10-6 advantage in penalty corners.
Southern Maine travels to Westfield State on Saturday (3:00 p.m.) in a Little East Conference game. Bates travels to Connecticut College on Saturday (12:00 p.m.).
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