Box Score
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BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Ashley Tango hammered a shot from the top of the circle into the left side of the cage with 2:31 gone in double overtime to lift No. 10 Babson College to a 2-1 field hockey victory over the University of New England on Tuesday (Oct. 25) at the Big Blue Turf.

In a matchup of the top two teams in the most-recent NCAA regional rankings for the New England East Region, and the programs sharing the fifth-best winning percentage in Division III, the nationally-recognized Beavers (16-2) maintained their position just ahead of the Nor'easters (15-3) -- who were listed as the second team also receiving votes in the latest Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III Top 20 Poll released earlier in the day.

The game was knotted at 1-1 for more than 45 minutes before Tango's deciding tally, which came on a penalty corner off a feed from Kelsi McDougle.

UNE opened the scoring just 2:58 into the match, as Nicole Matarozzo carried towards the end line on the right side and slipped a pass into the middle for Vonde Saunders to slap home for the lead. The margin remained at halftime, although Babson had the edge in chances.

The Beavers continued to find the majority of the opportunities in the 2nd period, racking up six shots and four corners leading up the equalizer in the 43rd minute. That goal came in the form of a penalty stroke off the stick of Julie Mortimer.

Babson ended regulation with sizable cushions in shots (24-5) and penalty corners (19-6), but Holly Smith and the Nor'easters' back line stayed strong to force the extra session.

Smith finished with 12 saves against the Beavers' third-most prolific attack in the country (4.41 goals/game), and got the help of a defensive save from Desirae LeBlanc to keep the scoreboard level down the stretch.

Babson's offensive possession slowed UNE's fifth-highest scoring group (4.24 goals/game), and goalie Deirdre Barry made two stops to earn the decision.

Of the five all-time meetings between the squads, the three games in Biddeford have all gone beyond 70 minutes of action.

Both sides will now look to close out perfect ledgers in their respective conferences the rest of the week. The Beavers (7-0 NEWMAC) return home to face MIT (6-1 NEWMAC) on Saturday at 12 p.m. The Nor'easters (10-0 CCC) get right back to work on Wednesday (4 p.m.) against Gordon College (4-6 CCC) and then visit Nichols College (0-10 CCC) on Friday.