Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Senior Taryn Flagg (Livermore Falls, Maine) tallied two goals and an assist as second seed University of New England advanced into the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England Field Hockey Championship semifinals with a 5-2 victory over seventh-seeded University of Southern Maine Wednesday afternoon.

The Nor'easters (14-3) move on to play No. 6 Endicott College, a 2-0 winner over third-seeded Framingham State College. The Gulls handed UNE its only conference setback during the regular season with a 2-1 victory back on September 26.

Just 2:18 into the contest, Flagg sent a blast towards the net that sophomore Brianna Tupper (Winthrop, Maine) tipped home to put the hosts up, 1-0.

Junior Michaela Franey (York, Maine) converted a penalty stroke with nine minutes to play in the first half, then set up Flagg at the 29:42 mark as the Nor'easters grabbed a 3-0 lead.

Junior Cassandra Bushey (North hartland, Vt.) added an unassisted goal with a little over two minutes remaining in the period to give UNE a four-goal advantage at intermission.

The Huskies got on the board in the 53rd minute, when sophomore Whitney McDaniel (Livermore, Maine) scored off a pass from classmate Heidi Swett (Turner, Maine).

USM reduced the deficit to two (4-2) in the 61st minute when senior India Lowe (Gloucester, Mass.) connected with Caitlin Albert (Scarborough, Maine). With the assist, Lowe set Southern Maine records for both career helpers (24) and assists in a single season (12).

Bushey found Flagg for her second goal of the game at the 63:16 mark to provide the final margin of victory.

For the game, UNE held a 21-12 cushion in shots, despite falling short in penalty corners, 18-6.

Junior Ayla Nelson (Auburn, Mass.) recorded eight saves for the Nor'easters, who will now host both the semifinal and final rounds of the ECAC Championship after No. 8 Plymouth State University upset top seed Keene State College, 3-2. UNE will play Endicott at 11 a.m. Saturday and No. 4 Worcester Polytechnic Institute, with its 3-1 win over New England College, will take on Plymouth State at 2 p.m.

For Southern Maine, which concludes its season with a record of 10-11, senior Allison Hill (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) recorded seven saves before giving way to junior Rachel Lolley (Gorham, Maine) for the final 10 minutes.


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