GORHAM, Maine – After trailing the Keene State Owls 4-1 early in the second quarter the University of Southern Maine Huskies responded with 10 unanswered goals on their way to a 13-9 Little East Conference win on Saturday afternoon in women's lacrosse action. Rachel Shanks (Naples, Maine/Lake Region) led the way for the Huskies with five goals while sophomore Julia McKenna (Windham, Maine) and freshman Cierra Hill (Pembroke, N.H./Pembroke Academy) each had hat tricks. Southern Maine goalie Cece Racine (Lewiston, Maine) shined in the win with a dozen saves. Prior to the game the Huskies honored Jessica Knight Tremblay '12, '19 and her induction into the Little East Conference Hall of Fame with a ring ceremony.
 
When and Where: April 22, 2023 – Gorham, Maine – Hannaford Field
 
The Records: Southern Maine: 8-7, 4-1 LEC, Keene State: 5-10, 2-3 LEC
 
The Goalies: 
USM: Racine: 8-6, 12 saves, nine goals allowed, .435 save percentage
KSC: Kara Moriarty: 5-4, four saves, six goals allowed, .400 save percentage
KSC: Sarah Howe: three saves, seven goals allowed, .300 save percentage
 
How It Happened:

• Junior Paige Rinaldi (Freeport, Maine) scored the game's first goal with freshman Maddie Kinney (Topsham, Maine/ Mt. Ararat) assisting. The goal was only one of the quarter for the Huskies as they committed nine turnover and gave up a pair of goals to Keene State.
• The Owls extended their lead to 4-1 thanks to goals from Mindy St. Marie and Tess Brown in the first two minutes of the second quarter.
• Still trailing with 6:46 left in the half Huskies head coach Angela Mallis called a timeout to talk over the game plan with her squad. The timeout proved to pivotal as junior Kiaya Gatchell (Portland, Maine/Deering) scored shortly after play resumed and then Hill scored three times in less than three minutes to give the Huskies a slight 5-4 lead at the halfway point.
• After being kept out of the goal column in the first half Shanks had a hat trick in the third quarter. McKenna scored twice as well as the Huskies shutout the Owls in the quarter.
• The Southern Maine defense limited Keene State to just two shots in the frame with Racine stopping the only shot on goal she faced.
• Keene State scored five times in the fourth but could not overcome the large deficit as Racine made four saves in the quarter.

 
Inside The Stats:

• Shanks had a game-leading five goals and five points.
• Hannah Dworkin (four assists) and Brown (three goals and an assist) each had four points.
• Haile Ratajack scored three times for the Owls.
• Gatchell had three points from a goal and two assists and Rinaldi had a goal and an assist.
• Freshman Molly Black (Windham, Maine) also contributed an assist.
• Racine stopped four free position shots in the game.
• While each team won 13 draw controls St. Marie recorded 10 for the Owls. McKenna and Kinney each had five for the Huskies.

 
Up Next: The Huskies will play Rhode Island College on Wednesday at home at 6PM and will be holding a special clinic for K-8^th grade girls before the game in partnership with Strong Girls United.