Box Score
Post-Game Interview

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Five different players scored as top-seeded University of New England pulled away from fourth-seeded Nichols College in the second half to a 5-0 victory in the semifinals of the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Field Hockey Championship, which was played Wednesday (Nov. 6) at the Big Blue Turf.

With its eighth straight win and 12th in the last 13 outings, Big Blue (15-5) earns a spot in Saturday's CCC Championship game for the third time in four seasons. The Nor'easters will host No. 2 Gordon College (which defeated Endicott College, 2-1) for a 1 p.m. match.

UNE went right on the attack from the opening whistle, and a violation by the Bison defense in the crease gave a penalty stroke opportunity to the hosts with 1:47 gone. Senior Hannah Tavella stepped up and found space just inside the left post for the first goal of the day. 

The margin was still one at the end of the first half, despite UNE racking up 18 shots to just three for Nichols. The goalie for the visitors, junior Molly Melanson, made seven stops in the period to keep things close, including a save on another penalty stroke try in the 25th minute.

Big Blue continued to control possession after halftime, and got some insurance in the 46th minute when junior Erin Bibber re-directed a drive off the stick of senior Brittany Liptak into the back of the cage.

Just 47 seconds later, senior Hayley LaPointe made it 3-0 from the left endline, converting a feed out of the middle from classmate Casey Clark.

Clark added her team-leading 15th marker of the year in the 52nd minute, collecting a loose ball on the right side and slotting a shot near-post.

Sophomore Haley Pelletier capped the scoring with just under four minutes to play, taking a long cross from Bibber on the left side and blasting a shot from the top of the circle inside the left post.

For the game, UNE recorded a 36-4 advantage in shots (20-1 on-goal) and 14-4 cushion in penalty corners.

First-year Holly Smith needed to make just one save for the Nor'easters in triumph, giving her a program single-season record 8th shutout of the season.

On the opposite end of the pitch, Melanson totaled 15 stops for Nichols (6-13).


Click HERE to watch the post-game interview with Hannah Tavella and Brittany Liptak