BEVERLY, Mass. – Annie Agnew (Guilford, Maine) scored the lone goal of the second half as the University of Maine-Farmington field hockey team beat the Endicott Gulls 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at North Field. The Beavers untied a game that was 1-1 at halftime to win their first contest of the 2011 season, while the Gulls drop to 1-3.
Agnew's blast from the right side of the field beat Endicott junior goalie Taylor Teixeira (Exeter, N.H.) twenty minutes into the second half and the Beavers held on for the victory in a very tightly defended game.
Senior Jessica Martin (Winthrop, Maine) put the Beavers ahead just seven and a half minutes into the game with her first goal of the year. Endicott drew level twenty-six minutes in when Hannah Thornberg collected the ball off a scrum from a penalty corner. Thornberg found the back of the cage for her fourth goal of the season.
Endicott outshot their visitors 8-7, but did not force a save out of starting goalie Felisha Taylor (Chelsea, Maine). Taylor allowed one goal in the first half and was helped out by a brilliant defensive save by Renee DesPres (Skowhegan, Maine).
The Endicott back line played well, especially senior captain Courtney Dronsfield (Penfield, N.Y.). Teixeira made three stops in net for the Blue and Green.
The Gulls had chances late in the game to again even the score. Thornberg could not connect with Mackenzie Hurst (Gilford, N.H.) on a breakaway in the second half and Emily Sawchuk ripped a shot on net in the dying minutes of the game that was turned aside by Curran Brierley (East Hampton, N.Y.). Brierly made three stops in the second half of play after replacing Taylor in net and earned the victory decision.
Endicott had a 13-10 advantage in penalty corners, including several in the last few minutes of the game, but the hosts were unable to capitalize.
The Gulls have their next contest on Saturday when they travel to UMass Dartmouth before their first conference test Saturday at University of New England. Maine-Farmington (1-0) will next be in action on Wednesday when they play in-state rivals University of Southern Maine. USM will host the game in Gorham at 5:00 PM.
