GORHAM, Maine – Freshman
Mariam DeLisle (Whitefield, Maine/Lincoln Academy) scored five goals and had three assists to help lead the No. 2 seed University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 13-6 win over the No. 3 seed Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors in the semifinals of the 2026 Little East Conference Women's Lacrosse Tournament. Graduate student
Katelyn D'Appolonia (Yarmouth, Maine) also had an impressive game for the Huskies with four goals and two assists. With today's win, Southern Maine has set a new program record for wins in a season with 14 to surpass the mark set by last year's team.
Junior goalie
Maggie Jones (St. John's, Newfoundland/Mount Academy) made 10 saves to earn the win for the Huskies. The total was just one shy of matching her season high. Graduate student
Anna Byers (Milford, Ct./Joseph A. Foran) and junior
Eliza Pattershall (Readfield, Maine/Maranacook) each recorded two points of a goal and assist. Southern Maine also had goals from seniors
Cierra Hill (Pembroke, N.H./Pembroke Academy) and
Elaina Hanselmann (Sanford, Maine).
Senior
Britney Hill (Pembroke, N.H./Pembroke Academy) led the Huskies defensively with five ground balls while Pattershall caused seven turnovers.
Alexa Vizzini led the Warriors with two goals and an assist. Molly Page also scored twice while Hannah Seltzer and Tori Mitchell each had a goal.
The Records:
No. 3 Eastern Connecticut: 9-8
No. 2 Southern Maine: 14-4
Series History:
Southern Maine defeated Eastern Connecticut State 14-5 on the road earlier this season on March 28. The Huskies have now cut the Warriors' lead in the all-time series to 19-14.
The Goaltenders:
Eastern Connecticut: Maizie Rukat (4-6), 60:00, 13 goals allowed, five saves
Southern Maine:
Maggie Jones (9-1), 60:00, six goals allowed, 10 saves
How It Happened:
- The Warriors started the scoring with a goal by Page 2:45 into the game before the Huskies answered with a score by DeLisle from Byers 45 seconds later. Eastern Connecticut went back ahead 2-1 on a free position goal by Vizzini before the Huskies took the lead with a 5-0 run over the final 10 minutes of the quarter. DeLisle and D'Appolonia each had two goals in the run after the first was scored by Pattershall.
- The scoring cooled off in the second quarter as the Huskies only scored twice and the Warriors found the back of the net once to make the score 8-3 heading into halftime. D'Appolonia had the first goal for the Huskies before Hanselmann scored an up goal with DeLisle assisting. Vizzini scored for the Warriors.
- Following a free position goal by Seltzer, the Huskies scored three unanswered goals to end the third quarter ahead 11-4. Two of those goals came from DeLisle with Byers scoring the other.
- Each team scored twice in the fourth quarter. D'Appolonia scored the first goal of the quarter followed by a goal by Page and then a free position goal by Mitchell. C. Hill added a goal with 50 seconds for the 13-6 final.
Inside The Stats:
- The Huskies led 18-16 in shots on goal. They control possession for most of the game by winning 15 of the 21 draw controls led by seven from C. Hill and five from D'Appolonia.
- Jones and Southern Maine defense held the Warriors to three free position goals on eight shot attempts.
Up Next:
The Huskies will face No. 1 seed Western Connecticut State University on Saturday in the Little East Conference Championship Game in Danbury, Conn. The game is scheduled to start at 12:00 pm. This is be the first LEC Championship Game appearance for the Huskies since 2019.
-rwd-
