Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Senior Hayley LaPointe scored a pair of 2nd-half goals to help the University of New England gain separation from Western New England University on the way to a 4-0 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) triumph Saturday evening (Oct. 19) at Golden Bear Stadium.

Winners of three in-a-row and 9-of-11, the Nor'easters (8-0 CCC) now hold a record of 10-5 overall. Big Blue has defeated the Golden Bears each of the 10 times the teams have met.

Senior Casey Clark tallied a goal and an assist for UNE, while rookie Hannah Plourde scored for the first time this season.

First-year Holly Smith turned away all four shots that came her direction to record shutout number five on the year. Smith and the UNE defense have now gone more than 224 minutes without conceding a goal.

The Nor'easters were well on their way to finishing with a 21-4 advantage in shots after the initial 35 minutes of action, as the visitors posted all 13 attempts of the opening period. Clark was the only one to break through with her eighth tally of the year in the 22nd minute.

Western New England (2-13, 1-8 CCC) managed to get three shots and four penalty corners in the beginning 4:28 of the final stanza, but UNE gained possession from a save and worked the ball quickly up to LaPointe. The senior co-captain eluded a defender and the goalie before finding the open cage 16 seconds later.

Clark found space along the right endline in the 51st minute and her centering pass was converted by LaPointe, making it 3-0. In the 65th minute, Plourde capped for scoring for Big Blue.

The Nor'easters return to Biddeford for the first of a three-game homestand on Tuesday (6 p.m.), when Salve Regina University comes to town.

Jessica Hale made nine saves for the Golden Bears, who visit Nichols College the same night.