STANDISH, Maine – Sophomore
Maddie Niles (Benton, Maine/Lawrence) scored the overtime game-winner in the 75th minute to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 4-3 double-overtime win over the Saint Joseph's College Monks in a non-conference field hockey game Friday evening in Standish.
Playing in their third overtime game in the last four, Niles also had the Huskies overtime game-winner in a 2-1 win over Husson last Friday. She has a team-leading four goals this season.
THE RECORDS
Southern Maine (6-3)
Saint Joseph's College (4-4)
Today's game marked the 29th meeting between the Huskies and the Monks. Southern Maine leads the overall series 21-8 and has won the last five consecutively, including last season's 2025 overtime thriller 3-2. Southern Maine earned a 4-3 overtime win in 2024, a 2-0 win over SJC in 2023, and a 3-1 win in 2022. Prior to the 2022 win, the Monks had won four consecutive over the Huskies.
THE GOALKEEPERS:
SM:
Haylee Romasco (5-2), 74:32, 3 GA, 11 Saves
SJC: Kimberley McLaughlin (3-4), 74:32, 4 GA, 8 Saves
Defensive Saves: SJC, Katie Yeaton 1
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Despite an evenly played game statistically, Southern Maine led 2-0 at the halftime break. Sophmore Izzy Folsom (Winthrop, Maine) put the Huskies on the board in the first quarter, notching her second goal of the season, scoring on a penalty stroke in the 12th minute.
- Sophomore Addison Battis (Fairfield, Maine/Lawrence) made it 2-0 early in the second quarter scoring her first goal of the season. Husky freshman goalkeeper Haylee Romasco (Newport, Maine/Nokomis) made a pair of saves in the second quarter to keep USM up by a pair of goals.
- SJC evened it up with a pair of quick goals in the third quarter. Ava Markham scored with the 36th minute for her sixth goal of the season, and was followed by Ashley Inman's first goal of the season just over a minute later in the 37th minute after a feed from Chloe Masse. The Monks outshot the Huskies 7-4 in the third, and both sides made four saves each.
- Husky senior Bri Townsend (Newport, Maine/Nokomis) put the Huskies ahead again, scoring her second goal of the season in the 51st minute to give her team a 3-2 advantage; however, six minute later Markham found Zoey Lailer for the equalizer in the 56th minute for a 3-3 game. After Lailer's score, neither team found its way towards goal and the game went to overtime.
- The Monks dominated the first overtime statistically and pressed for the game-ending goal. SJC outshot the Huskies 6-0 in the first overtime, and had a 3-1 lead in penalty corners, but Romasco came up big for USM making five of her 11 saves in the game.
- Going back-and-forth in the second overtime, Husky senior Jenessa Foster (Pittsfield, Maine/Maine Central Institute) started the play from the back spinning out of traffic and finding sophomore Mackenzie Hall (Westbrook, Maine) up the line. Hall pushed the ball towards the center of the field and a strong play from senior Leah Thibodeau (Auburn, Maine/Edward Little) was able to spring Niles free in the circle. After Niles first attempt was stopped in a strong effort from SJC goalkeeper Kimberley McLaughlin, Niles and Thibodeau kept the ball alive before Niles beat SJC to the inside for the win.
INSIDE THE STATS:
- SJC led in shots 20-17, and had a 14-6 lead in penalty corners.
- Southern Maine is 2-1 in overtime contests this season, falling to No. 25 Lynchburg in double overtime during the weekend.
UP NEXT:
The Huskies are on the road for another two games traveling to No. 9 Bowdoin College on Tuesday, September 29 (7:00 pm) and then to Eastern Connecticut on Saturday, October 3 (12:00 pm). The Huskies will have played three nationally-ranked opponents in a five-game stretch by the end of their road trip. Southern Maine returns home to Hannaford Field on Tuesday, October 6 (7:00 pm) against No. 21 Bates College
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