Box Score
Post-Game Interview

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Three 1st-half goals were more than enough for the University of New England field hockey team on Wednesday evening (Oct. 16), as the Nor'easters knocked off No. 18 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 3-0, in a non-conference match at the Big Blue Turf.

It was Big Blue's first victory over a squad ranked in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Top 20 Poll in four tries, and the first in three meetings against the Engineers. Winners of eight in the last 10, UNE improves to 9-5 on the year, while MIT drops to 11-2.

The Nor'easters came out firing, amassing the initial 11 shots and eight penalty corners in the opening 14 minutes. One goal went through during the stretch, as junior Hannah Warren drove it home from the top of the circle off a corner insert from senior Hannah Tavella in the 5th minute.

UNE doubled the margin in the 19th minute, when senior Casey Clark slipped one in at the left post. First-year Brooke Marshall registered an assist on the play.

Senior Brittany Liptak padded the lead for the hosts with less than three minutes left before halftime, tipping in a pass from Warren out on the left wing.

After 35 minutes, shots were 15-7 in favor of Big Blue, and corners were 9-4.

MIT had more shot attempts (7-2) and penalty corners (8-3) than the Nor'easters in the 2nd period, but could not solve the UNE defense. In the previous two contests between the teams, the Engineers out-scored Big Blue by a combined 12-2 margin.

First-year goalie Holly Smith posted three saves for the shutout, with a little help from sophomore Alyssa Kowal, who had a defensive save in the 53rd minute.

For MIT, which takes its 4-0 NEWMAC ledger to Smith College on Saturday (12 p.m.), sophomore Evie Kyritsis finished with nine stops.

The Nor'easters put their 7-0 CCC record on the line the same day (6 p.m.), with a visit to Western New England University.


Click HERE to watch the post-game interview with Casey Clark and Hayley LaPointe