Box Score
Post-Game Interview

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- First-year Vonde Saunders scored her second goal of the contest with just over 22 minutes remaining, lifting the University of New England to a 3-2 victory against Endicott College in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) field hockey action Tuesday evening (Oct. 21) in the rain at the Big Blue Turf.

The result was a fourth straight win for the Nor'easters (11-5), who now stand at 9-1 in conference action with two games left in the league slate. The Gulls (13-3) fall further back of Big Blue in the CCC, settling at 7-2.

When the two met in Beverly on September 23, EC came from behind to capture a 3-2 overtime decision -- UNE's only CCC loss to-date.

Endicott struck first in the 4th minute, when first-year Olivia Larson collected a rebound on the right side and slotted a shot inside the near post.

Six minutes later, however, Big Blue answered right back, as senior Hannah Cutting found classmate Beth Sullivan at the top of the circle on a penalty corner insert and Sullivan blasted one past the goalie.

Saunders tipped the Nor'easters in front midway through the 1st half (19th minute), getting a deflection on a lengthy hit from senior Hannah Warren.

The Gulls leveled things up (2-2) just four minutes in the 2nd period. Senior Emily Sawchuck slid a pass from the right side through the middle and classmate Mackenzie Hurst was waiting near the left post to slap it home.

UNE responded by upping the pressure, and racked up 12 unanswered shots (of its 15 following halftime) over the ensuing 11 minutes. The ninth of that sequence found the back of the cage, as Saunders controlled a bouncing rebound in the crease and pushed in her seventh marker of the season.

Big Blue, which finished with a 22-10 advantage in shot attempts, received three stops out of sophomore Holly Smith.

For Endicott, sophomore Cheka Ventura posted 13 saves. The Gulls head for Salve Regina University on Saturday (1 p.m.).

The Nor'easters continue CCC play on Friday (6 p.m.) at Roger Williams University.


Watch the post-game interview with Beth Sullivan and Vonde Saunders