The University of Maine field hockey team hosted UNH on Friday afternoon at the Maine Field Hockey Complex in Orono, capping off their regular season and celebrating their three seniors and four graduate student-athletes on Senior Day. Saylor Kuefler had a game winning third quarter goal, as the Black Bears would shutout the Wildcats 2-0.
The first half was evenly matched with no scoring, as Maine had a slight edge on UNH in shots on goal 5-4. The Black Bears turned it up in the last 30 minutes, outshooting the Wildcats 9-1 and picking up both goals scored on the afternoon. The game winner was a play started by Kate Richardson, and she dragged from left to right and into the top of the circle and fired a shot on net. Kuefler was there to deflect it, as the deflection bounced over the head of UNH goaltender Abby Johnson and crossed over the line with 3:29 left in the third quarter. Maine finally converted on an 11th penalty corner to put it away in the fourth period. Alexandra Sacker found Eloise Penty backdoor for the first collegiate goal by Penty with 6:04 remaining to play.
Jayde Temby made five saves to pickup her third shutout of the season in the cage for Maine. Sacker, Richardson, and Victoria Tinghitella each had an assist. They outshot UNH 14-5 and had an 11-4 edge in penalty corners. Johnson made 12 stops for the Wildcats, who wrap up their regular season with a record of 9-9 and 4-2 in America East. The Black Bears (10-8, 3-3) can finish anywhere from third to sixth in the conference depending on other results this weekend. The America East Tournament is being hosted by top seed and nationally ranked Albany November 7 through the 10th. Maine was 8-1 on their home field this season, but is just 1-7 away from Orono.
