GORHAM, Maine – Hat tricks from Madison Ratchford and Savannah Kom helped the Western Connecticut State University Wolves to a 14-4 win against the University of Southern Maine Huskies in the first Little East Conference game of the season for both schools. Ratchford also had an assist and Samantha Paredes scored twice for the Wolves.
 
Junior Cierra Hill (Pembroke, N.H./Pembroke Academy) led the Huskies with a goal and an assist. She also had two caused turnovers and two ground balls. The Huskies also had goals from junior Molly Black (Windham, Maine), junior Maddie Kinney (Topsham, Maine/ Mt. Ararat) and sophomore Eliza Pattershall (Readfield, Maine/ Maranacook) while fifth-year Kiaya Gatchell (Portland, Maine/Deering) had an assist.
 
The Records:
WestConn: 8-1 (1-0 LEC)
Southern Maine: 5-3 (0-1 LEC)
 
Series History:
The two conference rivals have now played 29 times with the Wolves holding a 16-13 lead in the series. The last six games have been won by Western Connecticut State.
 
The Goaltenders:
WestConn: Molly Bresnahan (6-1), 60:00, four goals allowed, nine saves
Southern Maine: Lydia Laslavic (5-3), 60:00, 14 goals allowed, nine saves
 
How It Happened:

• Hill set up a Kinney goal two minutes into action to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead before Kom tied the game on a free-position goal just under three minutes later. Another free-position goal, this one by Grace King, put the Wolves ahead 2-1 only for Black to tie the game with one of her own with 2:14 left in the quarter. WestConn took a 3-2 lead on their third free-position goal of the opening quarter when Morgan Brace converted her attempt with 56 seconds left.
• Faye Junge extended the lead for the visitors in the first minute of the second quarter. Only one more goal was scored in the first half, a free-position score by Kom.
• Pattershall opened the scoring in the third quarter with Gatchell providing the assist less than five minutes into the new half. However, the Wolves ended the quarter on a 3-0 run thanks to goals by Ratchford, Isabella Pota and Paredes. Ratchford assisted on Pota's goal and Paredes scored an up-goal.
• The Wolves closed out the game by outscoring the Huskies 6-1 in the final quarter. Ratchford had two of the goals and Kom, Paredes and Natalie Mazza also scored. Hill scored her second goal of the game.

 
Inside The Stats:

• WestConn led 23-13 in shots on goal and had a 18-9 lead in ground balls.
• The Huskies led 12-8 in draw controls with junior Britney Hill (Pembroke, N.H./Pembroke Academy) pacing the squad with four.
• The Wolves went 5-for-8 on free-position shots.
• Gatchell now has 66 career assists in her career and is approaching the program record of 70 set by Aliza Jordan from 2017-19.

 
Up Next:
The next game for the Huskies will be on Saturday, March 29 at UMass Boston at noon.