University of New England Athletics

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BIDDEOFRD, Maine -- Riley Zielinski pocketed the deciding goal in the 41st minute and came up with a couple of key defensive plays in the waning second of the match, as the University of New England field hockey team defeated Keene State College by a 2-1 margin at Blue Bolt Field on Tuesday (Oct. 6).

UNE had some stretches with significant pressure during the contest, including the first 10 minutes of the 3rd quarter, with eight shots and four penalty corners. Zielinski's second tally of the year capped that sequence, as a corner play unfolded. Ava Wolverton raced to the front of the cage, controlled a pass down from the top of the circle with her first touch and hooked the second through a defender for Zielinski to punch between the goalie and the right post for the score [Watch].

Riley Curtin was called upon for all three of her saves from that point forward, with one late in the 3rd and a big one in the early portion of the 4th period.

After Zielinski had a trio of stuff attempts denied by Owls keeper Tori Kelly with just over one minute remaining, a UNE green card put balance back into the field players (KSC was already serving a yellow). The visitors used the stoppage to pull Kelly for more offensive options in the final 66 seconds, and quickly transitioned play to draw a whistle for a corner on the other end. As the defensive flyer, Zielinski point-blank stopped the initial drive, but a whistle gave Keene State another chance. This time Curtin made a lunging right-foot save and Zielinski cleared the rebound from further danger, only to hear the whistle again for a third corner look. The insert went back to the top of the circle, but the ensuing push towards the cage lacked power, and Zielinski was able to get in the way and establish enough control to get a call on KSC so that the home side could kill the last 15 seconds on the clock. [Watch]

"It was a fast-paced field hockey game with a lot of scoring opportunities," said UNE head coach Danielle Collins. "We were able to buckle down defensively after our second goal to come away with the win."

The Nor'easters (6-5) improve to 8-3 all-time against the Owls (7-5), who have now dropped three consecutive one-goal games in the past week.

The hosts started the scoring just 61 ticks into the afternoon, when Zielinski ran down the right side and sent a cross into the middle. Isabel Culver got a touch that took some of the steam off and the ball settled right in the wheelhouse of Gianna Korisianos to hammer her third marker of the campaign into the cage [Watch].

On Keene State's first shot attempt in the 1st frame, Korisianos registered a defensive save. Kelly had five of her 10 saves before the Owls found the equalizer in the 24th minute, when Meghan Daileanes hit across her body through a crowd to find space inside the left post.

UNE heavily out-shot (21-5) and out-cornered (10-3) the visiting squad over the first three periods, while the Owls had all four corners during the 4th and shots were three apiece.

The Nor'easters will now prepare for the first of three straight nationally-ranked opponents, as No.16 Endicott College comes to Biddeford for a Conference of New England (CNE) tilt on Saturday (12 p.m.).