Box Score MANSFIELD, CONN. – Sophomore Maddie Larusso (Enfield, Conn.) made nine saves and five different players scored goals to lead the Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors to a 5-3 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference field hockey game Saturday afternoon.
With the win, Eastern Connecticut halts a two-game slide to improve to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the Little East. Southern Maine stands at 4-4 overall and 1-1 in the conference.
The Warriors scored early and took a 2-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the game to establish control. Senior Laura Chicorka (Enfield, Conn./Enrico Fermi) converted a penalty corner in the second minute for ECSU's first goal of the game and then found junior Paige Schneider (East Lyme, Conn.) in the 10th minute. Southern Maine's sophomore Aleia Ansin (Windham, Maine) answered for the Huskies in the 19th minute with her first goal of the season trimming USM's deficit to 2-1, but senior Hannah Keiser (Danbury, Conn.) scored the Warriors third goal of the half off of another Chicorka assist in the 25th minute returning it two-goal margin. The score remained 3-1 in favor of Eastern Connecticut through the half.
In the second half, ECSU's senior Brianna Passero (Trumbull, Conn.) became the Warriors' fourth goal scorer of the game less than two minutes into the half making it 4-1 in the 47th minute before the Huskies' jumped into action. Trailing by three goals heading into the final 15 minutes of play, sophomore Kaylie Andrews (Kittery, Maine/Traip Academy) scored back-to-back goals to pull her team to within striking distance. Andrews blasted in an unassisted goal in the 56th minute and then redirected a pass from senior Jessica Boghosian (Belgrade, Maine/Messalonskee) in the 62nd minute, making it a one-goal, 4-3, game with eight minutes left in regulation. The Warriors responded to the Huskies' push, however, and closed the door on any comeback attempts sealing the game with a goal from sophomore Alex Kallgren (Dudley, Mass./Shepherd Hill) in the 66th minute for the 5-3 final.
Larusso earned her first win of the season making nine saves on 12 shots on goal. USM junior Amanda Kasbhom (York, Maine) took the loss making nine save on 14 shots on goal. Eastern Connecticut had a slim 20-14 margin in shots and a 14-9 lead in penalty corners.
Southern Maine hosts St. Joseph's College (Maine) in a non-conference game on Tuesday (4:00 p.m.). Eastern Connecticut hosts Babson College on Tuesday (4:00 p.m.).
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