Box Score GORHAM, Maine – Junior Allison Ward (Rockland, Maine/Oceanside) scored a pair of second half goals to lead a five-goal attack as the University of Southern Maine Huskies defeated the Westfield State College Owls 5-1 in a Little East Conference field hockey game Saturday at Hannaford Field.
The win is the second straight in Little East Conference play for the Huskies and second victory in their last three games. The Huskies are now 6-6 overall and 3-2 in the Little East Conference. The loss drops the Owls record to 4-5 overall and 1-4 in the Little East.
Southern Maine jumped out early on the Owls taking a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute. Freshman Kaylie Andrews (Kittery, Maine/Traip Academy) settled a hard-struck through ball off of the stick of sophomore Jennifer Poulin (Winslow, Maine) before rocketing in a shot for her third goal of the season at 5:43. Freshman Tayla Smedberg (Oxford, Maine/Oxford Hills) made it 2-0, scoring her second goal off the season after an assist by senior Peyton Dostie (Standish, Maine/Bonny Eagle) in the 25th minute. The score remained 2-0 in favor of Southern Maine through the half.
Dostie quickly made it 3-0 redirecting a pass from classmate Rebecca Pratt (Cornville, Maine/Skowhegan) 41 seconds into the second half. Pratt slid the ball across the goal mouth to a waiting Dostie, who scored her team-leading eighth goal of the season. Ward scored the first of her two goals in the game in the 39th minute to make it 4-0 for the Huskies with a hard-hit unassisted goal, before Westfield State broke up the shut out attempt in the 44th minute. Owl sophomore Jenelle Juskiewicz (Orange, Mass./Mahar Regional) scored her team-leading eight goal of the season after an assist from senior Kelsey Carpenter (Barre, Mass./Quabbin Regional).
The Huskies closed out the scoring in the 49th minute as Ward tallied her sixth goal of the season. During one of the Huskies' six corners, Dostie received the ball and pushed it to her left to Ward. Ward then hit a screaming shot into the back of the cage for the 5-1 final.
Both teams were even on shot attempts at 13 each, with Westfield having a slight advantage in shots on goal at 11-9 and a 10-6 advantage in penalty corners. Sophomore goalkeeper Amanda Kasbohm (York, Maine) made nine saves for the Huskies while sophomore Leanne Reichert (Portland, Maine) cleared a near-goal off of the line for her second defensive save of the season. Owl sophomore Megan Fountaine (Scituate, Mass.) took the loss allowing three goals and making one save in 38:16 of action. Classmate Danielle Whitman (Athol, Mass.) replaced Fountaine early in the second half, allowing two goals and making three saves in 31:44 of playing time.
Southern Maine hosts Plymouth State on Wednesday (4:00 p.m.). Westfield State hosts Framingham State on Saturday (12:00 p.m.). Both games are Little East Conference match up.
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