Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England Nor'easters scored three third-period goals to cap a furious comeback and take a 6-4 victory over Stevenson University in a college women's ice hockey game played Sunday (Dec. 9) afternoon at the Harold Alfond Forum.

The win was the first in the history of the UNE women's ice hockey program. The Nor'easters are now 1-6 versus varsity competition, while the Mustangs (also a first-year program) fall to 4-4. The two teams split the weekend series, with the visiting Mustangs taking a 3-1 victory Saturday afternoon.

Trailing 4-1 early in the second period, the Nor'easters came storming back behind the play of junior Jenni Poulin (Pembroke, N.H.) and first-year Marissa Clifford-Biederman (Lee, N.H.). Poulin notched back-to-back goals 27 seconds apart midway thru the second to get UNE within one (4-3).

Big Blue carried that momentum out of the locker room after the second intermission, as Clifford-Biederman found the cage off the opening faceoff of the third, knotting the score at 4 just eight seconds into the frame.

UNE would register the game-winner at the 3:55 mark when Poulin went to the backhand from close range for third goal of the afternoon and team-leading seventh of the season.

Clifford-Biederman then completed her hat-trick at 12:10, skating in and beating Stevenson goaltender Anastassia Nelson (San Antonio, Texas) while also drawing a penalty.

Facing an early 1-0 deficit, the Mustangs dominated the remainder of the first period to claim a 2-1 lead at the first break. First-years Kristen Webber (West Lebanon, N.H.) and Karly Vis (Murillo, Ontario) scored for Stevenson, which outshot the Nor'easters 19-4 in the frame.

Stevenson made it 3-1 at the 5:13 mark of the second on a goal by first-year Sydney Sakwa (Hills, Mich.), then pushed its lead to 4-1 on a goal by classmate Molly O'Neil (Aurora, Colo.) a little over a minute later. The Mustangs held all of the momentum at that point, before Poulin notched consecutive markers to get Big Blue back in the contest.

Clifford-Biederman had a hand in all six of UNE's goals to establish a team record for points in a contest. Poulin set up two of Clifford-Biederman's three goals to finish with five points.

First-year goaltender Samantha Scobee (Minnetrista, Minn.) had a strong game between the pipes for the Nor'easters, making 40 saves. Scobee turned aside five consecutive Stevenson attempts in a 10-second span just inside the final minute to help UNE hold off the visitors.

Nelson finished with 16 saves for the Mustangs, who doubled-up UNE in shots on goal, 44-22. Stevenson was whistled for eight penalties -- seven of which came over the final two periods.

Stevenson returns to action Dec. 30-31 when its hosts Neumann University for a pair of games. The Nor'easters have a month off before hosting Trinity College on Jan. 10.


Click HERE for an interview with Jenni Poulin and Marissa Clifford-Biederman