Box Score PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Sophomore Jennifer Poulin (Winslow, Maine) scored two goals and assisted on a third while classmate Amanda Kasbohm (York, Maine) made 12 saves to lead the seventh-seeded University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 4-1 upset win over the second-seeded Plymouth State University Panthers in Little East Conference Tournament quarterfinal action Tuesday afternoon at Arold Field.
The Huskies' win avenges a 4-3 overtime loss to the Panthers during the regular season and improves their record to 9-12 overall. Southern Maine advances to an LEC semifinal game Thursday (tba) against the winner of tonight's quarterfinal match-up between third-seeded UMass Dartmouth and sixth-seeded Worcester State. Plymouth State falls to 12-5 overall and will await a possible ECAC New England Tournament berth.
The Panthers took the early 1-0 lead over Southern Maine as senior Nikki Garvey (Canaan, N.H.) scored her conference leading 18th goal of the season in the ninth minute, but Poulin answered back for the Huskies 11 minutes later with the equalizer. Poulin's game-tying goal came in the 20th minute and was just her second of the season. Knotted up at 1-1, the Huskies grabbed a 2-1 advantage just minutes before the halftime break on an unassisted goal from freshman Tayla Smedberg (Oxford, Maine/Oxford Hills). Smedberg's goal in the 33rd minute was her third of the season and her second game-winning goal of her career.
With a 2-1 lead in hand, Kasbohm turned in a strong second half performance making seven of her 13 saves in the final 35 minutes. Kasbohm and the Huskies' were afforded some breathing room in the 57th minute as sophomore Leanne Reichert (Portland, Maine) finished an assist from Poulin for a 3-1 Huskies' lead.
Moments after taking a two-goal lead, Plymouth State gained some steam and nearly made it a one-goal deficit as senior Emily Davis (Boscawen, N.H./Merrimack Valley) beat Kasbohm only to have her potential goal cleared off the line by USM junior Marina Davidson (Windham, Maine), who was making her team-leading fourth defensive save of the season.
The Huskies' sealed the victory in the 60th minute as Poulin fittingly scored the final goal of the game, converting an assist from senior Peyton Dostie (Standish, Maine/Buxton). The assist is Dostie's 25th of her career, giving her the USM all-time career lead in assists. Dostie has 17 goals and 10 assists this season for 44 points. Dostie and PSU's Garvey are in a battle for the LEC scoring title as both players have 44 points.
Kasbohm earned her eighth win of the season for the Huskies. Her 12 saves in today's contest marks the sixth time this season that she has entered double-digits in saves. Plymouth State freshman Alivia Bates (Pennsauken, N.J.) made five saves in the loss.
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