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BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Junior Erin Bibber scored after just 43 seconds of overtime to give the University of New England a 3-2 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) field hockey win over Western New England University on Saturday (Sep. 21) at the Big Blue Turf.

The triumph brings the Nor'easters (2-0 CCC) even at 3-3 overall. The Golden Bears drop to 1-5 on the year, 0-2 in league action. Big Blue has now taken all nine meetings against Western New England since the teams first played in 2007.

Make it quick...

The 43 seconds on bonus field hockey played between UNE and Western New England on Saturday was the fastest overtime result (by 13 seconds) that Big Blue has experienced (regardless of outcome) in the 10+ years of the program. The Nor'easters have now played 33 games beyond 70 minutes in school history.

Bibber pounced on the rebound from a save by WNE first-year goalie Emily Arnold and found an open cage for the game-winner. It was her first marker of the season.

UNE finished with sizeable margins in shots (20-3) and penalty corners (13-5) for the match, forcing Arnold into 13 saves to keep things close.

Junior Hannah Warren recorded the only goal of the 1st half in the 22nd minute, receiving a corner insert from senior Hannah Tavella and sending a rocket into the right side of the net.

A little over four minutes into the 2nd frame, the Nor'easters doubled the margin courtesy of a drive from the top of the circle by junior Beth Sullivan. Both senior Hayley LaPointe and Tavella registered assists on the play.

In the 56th minute, Golden Bears senior Sarah Race setup classmate Kimberly Perez on the right side for a shot through a crowd in front to cut the deficit in half (2-1). Then, less than three minutes later and with UNE down a player, Tori Cirocco slipped one into the left side-netting from a tough angle to tie things at 2-2.

UNE had the best chance of what was left in regulation, but a tip attempt by senior Brittany Liptak was denied at the left post as Arnold slid in to keep the contest level.

First-year Holly Smith made one save for the Nor'easters, who head to Massachusetts for a non-conference date with Babson College on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. at Northeastern's Deedham Campus).

Western New England will look to halt its three-game skid the same day (4 p.m.) at Gordon College.


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