Southern Maine Athletics

GORHAM, Maine  – Scoring a season-high six goals, led by two from senior Bri Townsend (Newport, Maine/Nokomis), the number-one seed University of Southern Maine Huskies defeated the fourth-seed Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors 6-1 in the semifinal round of the 2026 Little East Conference Championship Tournament.
 
With the win, Southern Maine will host the 2026 championship game on Saturday at 2:00 pm.  The Huskies will host the third-seed Keene State College Owls who defeated second-seed Plymouth State University 3-1 earlier today.
 
THE RECORDS
No. 4 Eastern Connecticut (10-9)
No. 1 Southern Maine (14-7)
 
Tonight's game is the 32nd meeting between Southern Maine and Eastern Connecticut.  Southern Maine leads the overall series 25-7. The two teams are 2-2 in their last four meetings. The Warriors had won two consecutive over the Huskies in the regular season in 2025 (2-1), and 2024 (4-1); however, the Huskies earned a 1-0 win in the 2024 LEC quarterfinals, and a 2-1 double-overtime win in the 2026 regular season.
 
THE GOALKEEPERS:
SM: Haylee Romasco (12-7), 60:00, 1 GA, 3 Saves
EC: Kate Paradise (6-3), 51:10, 6 GA, 4 Saves; Veronica McKenna, 8:50, 0 GA, 1 Save
 
Defensive Saves: None
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After a quiet start to the first quarter, Huskies' senior Dylan Barr (Phippsburg, Maine) put the Huskies on the board in the 13^th minute. The Huskies had five shots and three penalty corners in the opening frame, but only put two on target.
• Townsend scored the first of her two goals in the second quarter on a feed from freshman Lizalynn Boudreau (Freeport, Maine), and sophomore Allie Flagg (Brewer, Maine) ballooned the lead to 3-0 redirecting a pass from sophomore Mackenzie Hall (Westbrook, Maine).  Townsend scored in the 23rd, and Flagg in the 26th as USM took a solid 3-0 lead into the halftime break.
• The third quarter looked to be a scoreless one despite Southern Maine pushing 10 shots, and both teams combining for 10 penalty corners. However, after a long clear from junior Jenessa Foster (Pittsfield, Maine/Maine Central Institute) rolled to a stop just before the ECSU endline, and Husky sophomore Maddie Niles (Benton, Maine/Lawrence) never gave up on the play.  Snagging the ball, Niles send a centering pass towards Hall who notched her fifth goal fo the season for a 4-0 Husky lead heading into the fourth as time expired.
• ECSU broke up the shutout early in the fourth quarter as Audrey Molin scored in the 47^th minute. The conference's leading scorer collected a loose ball near the top of the circle, and hit a powerful shot for a 4-1 game, and her 21^st goal of the season.
• The Huskies responded, however, regaining a four-goal advantage, in the 49^th when Townsend knocked in Niles' second assist of the game for her eighth goal of the season and a 5-1 lead. 
• Southern Maine sophomore Izzy Folsom (Winthrop, Maine) completed the scoring hitting a goal to the left side of the cage on a feed from sophomore Addison Battis (Fairfield, Maine/Lawrence) for the 6-1 final.

 
INSIDE THE STATS:

• Southern Maine led in shots 21-6, but just 11-4 on goal.  The Huskies had a 14-6 advantage in penalty corners. Both teams combined for 10 penalty corners in the third quarter – USM 6, ECSU 4.
• Four of Townsend's eight goals this season have been scored against the Warriors. 
• Molin's 21^st goal of the season for the Warriors leads the Little East Conference.

 
UP NEXT:
 Southern Maine advances to play in the 2026 Little East Conference Championship game on Saturday, November 7 (2:00 pm). As the number one seed and 2026 LEC Regular Season Champion, the Huskies will host third-seed Keene State College for the title.  Southern Maine defeated the Owls 1-0 in 2023 for the LEC title, and in 2025 the Owls defeated the Huskies in a game decided in a penalty shootout in the semifinal round.
 
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