BEVERLY, Mass. – A successful penalty stroke in overtime by freshman back Kersey Boulay (Liberty, Maine) sent the Nor'easters flying onto the field to celebrate their second-straight penalty stroke overtime winner against the Endicott field hockey team Tuesday night at North Field.
With the loss, Endicott moves to 4-4 overall (2-1 CCC), while UNE improves to 6-2, 3-0 in conference play.
An hour-long power outage delay kept the teams off the field to begin the game, but the intensity picked up from the moment the clock started and continued throughout the back and forth affair.
Sophomore forward Olivia Larson (Chesire, Conn.) sent a shot soaring from the right side just inside the 16-yard mark that found its way home into the back lower left of the cage to give Endicott an early 1-0 advantage in the 17th minute that held through the half.
The Nor'easters charged back in the second stanza as sophomore forward Vonde Saunders (Conway, N.H.) flicked the ball past senior goalkeeper Rose Bradley (Pottstown, Pa.) with a crowd in front of the cage to score her team-leading ninth goal of the season while Endicott was serving a green card penalty.
Junior midfielder Brooke Marshall (Bow, N.H.) gave UNE a brief lead (2-1) with a ball that bounced around and ended up against the back left board in the 50th minute.
Freshman forward Sophia Cogliano (Saugus, Mass.) knotted the score at two apiece with a redirected shot to the back right off of a feed from senior midfielder Ashleigh Allen (Glastonbury, Conn.) in the 54th minute.
Boulay's game-winner with 6:06 remaining in the first overtime period was the freshman's first collegiate goal.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Today's game saw another overtime battle between the two teams as three of the last four meetings have gone to an extra session.
- In three of the past four meetings, the score has been 3-2.
- The previous 3-2 overtime game between the teams at North Field was a Sept. 23, 2014 victory for Endicott.
- Cogliano leads the Gulls with six goals on the season.
- Allen has registered assists in the past three games for Endicott.
- Allen leads the CCC in assists (six).
- Larson has scored in back-to-back games for the Gulls.
- Bradley made 10 stops in goal, including four in overtime.
FOR THE FOES
- Boulay connected on her first penalty stroke of the season.
- Saunders leads the team with nine goals, good for second in the CCC.
- Saunders paced the team with eight shots (six on goal).
- Junior goalkeeper Holly Smith (Peabody, Mass.) made five saves to earn her sixth win of the season.
- Senior back Alyssa Kowal (Barre, Mass.) recorded her first defensive save of the season.
NOTES
- UNE defeated Endicott, 4-3, in double overtime in last year's 2014 CCC Championship.
- Today's game saw the two teams battle to its seventh overtime (including three double-overtime) decision in the all-time series.
- Endicott still leads the all-time series, 11-9, dating back to the teams' first meeting in 2003.
- The Gulls are now 7-2 at home vs. UNE.
WHAT'S NEXT
Endicott (4-4, 2-1 CCC) hosts NEWMAC power MIT on Thursday, September 24 at 7:00 p.m.
UNE (6-2, 3-0 CCC) goes on the road to face Salve Regina on Saturday, September 26 at 1:00 p.m. in Middletown, R.I. For the latest on Endicott Athletics, follow the Gulls on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
