Box Score BIDDEFORD, Maine – Seniors Hannah Cutting (Sebago, Maine/Lake Region) and Beth Sullivan (Cumberland, R.I.) each had a goal and an assist to lead the University of New England Nor'easters to a 3-1 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a non-conference field hockey game Tuesday afternoon.
The win extends the Nor'easters win-streak to six games and improves their overall record to 13-5. Southern Maine dips to 8-11 with the loss.
Dominating the play, UNE held a 1-0 lead after the first half. Despite outshooting USM 13-3 in the opening 35 minutes and holding an 8-0 lead in penalty corners, the Nor'easters were Cutting's goal in the 16th minute as Huskies' sophomore goalkeeper Amanda Kasbohm (York, Maine) made nine saves in the first half. Cutting's goal came off of one of the Nor'easters eight first-half corners. Cutting inserted the ball to Sullivan at the top of the circle. Sullivan then played the ball back to Cutting who was waiting in the corner for the redirect and her second goal of the season.
UNE quickly doubled its lead in the second half with Sullivan and Cutting switching roles. Sullivan tallied her seventh goal of the season off of a penalty corner insertion from Cutting in the 38th minute for a 2-0 UNE lead. Southern Maine trimmed its deficit to a goal in the 51st minute as freshman Kaylie Andrews (Kittery, Maine/Traip Academy) knocked in her fourth goal of the season off of an assist from classmate Michaela Demers (Manchester, N.H./Manchester Memorial). Demers collected a loose ball in the midfield and pushed the ball into the circle for Andrews' score.
The Nor'easters wasted little time regaining their two-goal advantage however, taking a 3-1 lead in the 56th minute on a goal by freshman Vonde Saunders (Center Conway, N.H./Kennett). Saunders' eighth goal of the season was the final of the game as UNE held for the 3-1 victory.
Kasbohm finished the game making 14 saves for the Huskies. UNE sophomore Holly Smith (Peabody, Mass./Peabody Veterans Memorial) made a pair of saves in the win. UNE had a 23-5 edge in shots and an 18-2 advantage in penalty corners.
Southern Maine closes out its regular season at home and will host Little East Conference opponent UMass Dartmouth on Saturday (12:00 p.m.). UNE heads to MIT for a non-conference game on Wednesday (6:00 p.m.).
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