GORHAM, Maine  - Freshman Mackenzie Hall (Westbrook, Maine) scored in the 65^th minute off of an outstanding assist from classmate Maddie Niles (Benton, Maine/Lawrence) to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 2-1 overtime win over the New England College Pilgrims in a non-conference field hockey game Tuesday night at Hannaford Field.
 
THE RECORDS
New England College (10-6)
Southern Maine (9-8)
 
Today's game marked the 42nd meeting between the University of Southern Maine Huskies and the New England College Pilgrims.  Southern Maine leads the overall series 28-15.  The Huskies last faced the Pilgrims in 2023 earning a 5-1 win in Henniker, N.H.
 
THE GOALKEEPERS:
NEC: Makenzie Anderson (10-5), 2 GA, 8 Saves
SM:  Eleanor Folsom (9-8), 60:00, 1 GA, 5 Saves
 
Defensive Saves: SM, Julie Elie (1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After a scoreless first quarter, Southern Maine increased its pressure in the second half before breaking through for the first goal of the game in the 25^th minute.  Senior Taylor Leclerc (Fairfield, Maine/Lawrence) scored her first goal of 2025 hitting a shot from distance at the top of the circle for the 1-0 USM.  Prior to Leclerc's goal, the Huskies had outshot the Pilgrims 5-0 in the half, and had a 4-1 lead in penalty corners.  NEC goalkeeper Makenzie Anderson made three of her eight saves in the first half.
• Southern Maine dominated play and possession through the first two quarters and until the 40^th minute in the third.  The Huskies held NEC without a shot in the first half, before the Pilgrims found some life. NEC outshot USM 4-1 in the third, and Kira Geddes, the Pilgrims' leading goal-scorer, notched her 17^th goal of the season in the 44^th minute to tie the game up.  Geddes received an outstanding lead pass from Neila Jones, and then laced a shot to the near post despite a diving effort from Husky goalkeeper Eleanor Folsom (Winthrop, Maine).
• NEC continued to push for a go-ahead goal in the fourth, outshooting USM 4-3 in the frame, and earning four penalty corners.  Folsom made a pair of strong saves in the quarter to keep the game at 1-1, and sophomore Julie Elie (Dayton, Maine/Thornton Academy) made a critical defensive save in the 54^th minute. 
• Southern Maine junior Bri Townsend (Newport, Maine/Nokomis) nearly had the game-winner as time expired but her shot sailed just to the right of the cage, sending the game to overtime.
• Both teams had chances early in the second half. The Pilgrims earned a penalty corner in the 62^nd, and a shot from Geddes was wide.  While sophomore Leah Thibodeau (Auburn, Maine/Edward Little) and Niles each had an attempt stopped from Anderson with some strong goalkeeping play. 
• USM ended the game in the 65^th. Townsend won the ball in the midfield and shuffled the play off to Niles on the right side of the field.  Niles carried the ball towards the circle before hitting a ball across to the left, finding Hall on the end of her run for the tap-in. It is Hall's third game-winning goal of the season

 
 
INSIDE THE STATS:

• After being held to zero shots in the first half, New England College outshot the Huskies 8-4 in the third and fourth quarters combined. USM finished the game leading in shots 13-9.
• NEC earned eight of its nine penalty corners in the second half and overtime period. The Pilgrims led in penalty corners 9-4.
• Folsom made all five of her saves in the second half.

 
UP NEXT:
Southern Maine returns to Little East Conference action and hosts Western Connecticut on Saturday (12:00 pm).  The Huskies are then on the road at Plymouth State on Tuesday (4:00 pm).
 
-cac-