Statistics

BEVERLY, Mass. -- Second seed Endicott College received two goals from Abby Antonelli to pace a 3-1 decision against No.3 University of New England in the semifinal round of the 2023 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Field Hockey Championship on Thursday night (Nov. 2) at North Field.

The Gulls (15-4) move on the meet top-seeded Roger Williams University in Saturday's title game; the Hawks advanced past No.4 Western New England University by a 2-0 margin.

The Nor'easters conclude the year with an overall record of 8-11, and just short of reaching another league final. Entering 2023, from conferences with automatic bids into the NCAA field, only national powers Middlebury College and Messiah College held longer active streaks than UNE (9 years) of playing in the conference championship game.

It was the first time in nine postseason meetings between the teams that the game wasn't going to decide the CCC crown.

Just five days earlier, Endicott closed out the regular season by overcoming a 1st-quarter deficit to edge the Nor'easters, 2-1, and create a three-way tie atop the league standings. On Thursday, the Gulls struck first in the 12th minute. The lone penalty corner and shot of the initial stanza, for either side, found its way through, as Antonelli drilled one home from the top of the arc off the insert and stick-stop.

The second corner of the contest came in the 22nd minute on the EC end of the field, and a rebound fell to Tori Swanson in the crease to double the lead. Midway through the match, shots (8-1) and corners (6-0) favored the hosts, while Dawn DeWeese-Moss had five saves to keep UNE within striking distance.

Play leveled out a bit in the 3rd period, however, Antonelli made it 3-0 in the 37th minute. The Nor'easters accounted for all the attempts on target in the 4th (4-0), and the pressure resulted in the awarding of a penalty stroke in the 51st minute. Sophomore defender Makena Valentine stepped up and converted her fourth PS in as many tries this season, and team-leading seventh goal, to put the visitors on the board.

Alexis DeMattia had three stops in between the pipes for Gulls, who were aided by defensive saves from Meghan Lehouiller and Maddy Young. DeWeese-Moss turned away six shots on the night.