Statistics

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Goals from five different players gave second-seeded University of New England a 5-0 triumph over third-seeded Western New England University in the semifinals of the 2018 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Field Hockey Championship on Thursday evening (Nov. 1) at UNE Blue Bolt Field.

The Nor'easters (12-9) advance to their sixth consecutive title match, and eighth in nine years, with the result. The four-time reigning champions will take on No.1 Endicott College (a 9-0 winner over No.4 Salve Regina) on Saturday (1 p.m.) at North Field in Beverly, Mass. [Interactive Bracket]

Kendra MacDonald (CCC 1st Team) and Kersey Boulay (CCC Defensive Player of the Year / 1st Team) accounted for the 1st-half scoring to get UNE out to a 2-0 lead in less than 15 minutes of action.

Grace Grenier, Julia Steeves, and Bailey Lynch supplied the offense following halftime, with assists by Reanna Boulay and Brooke Lemerise (CCC 1st Team) along the way. [Watch Grenier / Watch Lynch] For the match, shot attempts (33-6) and penalty corners (13-3) heavily favored the Nor'easters.

Liz Sargent backstopped the shutout with five saves; she now has four clean sheets on the season.

For the Golden Bears, who end the year at 7-12 overall, Dana Dufour posted 10 stops. Leah Kelemen (CCC 1st Team) added a defensive save in the opening period.

Saturday's final against the Gulls will mark the fifth time the teams have squared off for the league crown -- each of the previous four have been won by the home side (UNE 3, EC 1), and three were decided in overtime. During the 2018 regular-season, Endicott secured two decisions against UNE by scores of 4-2 and 1-0.