Statistics

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Jillian Lachapelle collected a weak-side rebound and guided it home in the 35th minute to lift top-seeded University of New England past No.4 Roger Williams University by a 1-0 tally in the semifinals of the 2021 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Field Hockey Championship at Blue Bolt Field on Thursday night (Nov. 4).

The Nor'easters (11-6) advance into their eighth consecutive tournament final and will meet No.2 Endicott College (a 5-1 winner over WNEU) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. for the league's automatic spot in the NCAA field [Interactive Bracket].

The lone marker came at the tail end of penalty corner try, as the initial shot was pushed back by a defensive save from the Hawks' Abigail Stevens. Lachapelle (CCC 1st Team / Scholar-Athlete of the Year) was right there to gather it and finish between the near post and goalie Callie Flanagan for her team-leading 11th goal of year. [Watch]

Back when UNE defeated Roger Williams during the regular season (3-1), Lachapelle scored the last two and assisted on the other.

After the Hawks had a healthy amount of possession in the 1st quarter and recorded the game's first three shots, the Nor'easters found more of their stride in the 2nd and 3rd stanzas. Shots were 13-2 and corners were 5-1 during the middle 30 minutes.

Without taking another shot in the 4th, UNE did just enough wear down the clock and limit any significant chances for Roger Williams. Amelia Monahan (CCC 2nd Team) had the final attempt for the visitors with 15 seconds left, but Nor'easter goalie Lindsay Pych (CCC 1st Team) calmly read the deflection off a stick in front and blockered it away from trouble.

Pych made four stops for her fifth shutout, as UNE improved to 5-1 in one-goal contests this season.

Flanagan totaled five saves for the Hawks, who conclude 2021 with a 9-9 overall record. Maggie McCarthy also contributed a defensive save, helping limit the Nor'easters to their lowest goal output in any of the 17 meetings between the teams (UNE 17-0).

Saturday's final will be the fourth straight, and seventh in the last 10, decided by a clash of UNE and Endicott. In CCC postseason history, the programs have only ever met in the title round, splitting six games with the home team winning on each occasion. And they all had a margin of just one -- 2011 (EC 2-1, OT), 2014 (UNE 4-3, 2OT), 2015 (UNE 1-0, OT), 2017 (UNE 2-1), 2018 (EC 1-0), and 2019 (EC 3-2). The Nor'easters ended their six-game overall skid versus the Gulls on the road three weeks ago, racking up the largest spread (5-0) in any of the 34 all-time matches.