UNE wins ECAC title

BIDDEFORD — Taryn Flagg saved her finest performance for her last collegiate game.

Flagg, a senior forward and captain, scored a hat trick, including the winning score, as the University of New England defeated Plymouth State University 3-2 Monday night to win the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) New England Championship.

The win marks first ECAC championship in school history in any sport.

Flagg’s game winning goal came more than two minutes into overtime, off a pass from forward Brianna Tupper that sailed past Panther goalie Hannah Sawyer.

Immediately following the goal, the Nor’easter bench spilled out onto the field, where the team congregated in celebration.

Flagg said it was the first hat trick she ever had in her collegiate career.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Flagg said. “To be in this playoff and take it all is just an amazing feeling.”

The Nor’easters were able to turn things around after being knocked out of The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) playoffs Nov. 4 by Nichols College. UNE defeated both the University of Southern Maine and Endicott to get to the ECAC New England Championship.

Flagg said the team was not going to let another championship opportunity slip through their fingers.

“The seven of us that were out playing on the field, we were like, ”˜We’ve got to end this now,’” Flagg said. “The three of us seniors, we said ”˜We’re not losing.’ I got real scared, but we managed to pull it out and got a win.”

Each half of the game was a mirror image of each other. Flagg opened up the scoring early in the first half, off another pass from Tupper. Plymouth State answered back minutes later when Kerry D’Ambroise sneaked a shot past UNE goalie Ayla Nelson to tie the score at 1-1, where it would remain at halftime.

Flagg opened up the second half with another goal, on yet another assist from Tupper. Less than two minutes later, D’Ambroise scored her second goal of the night, with an assist from Lauren Bergeron to tie the score again at 2-2, where it would remain until the end of regulation.

Though the Nor’easters allowed two goals, they displayed strong defense throughout the game, blocking several possible scoring chances by the Panthers.

First-year midfielder Emily Koehler, who was awarded the Most Outstanding Player award, said the Panthers were a tough matchup.

“It was really tough,” Koehler said. “Plymouth State was really good. They had really good stick skills, they were really strong down on the net, but our defense was really strong.”

UNE field hockey coach Joan Howard said Koehler helped lead the defensive output.

“She just had an outstanding game,” Howard said. “When you pick a most valuable player, you’re usually looking at stats and scores, but that kid made the difference in the back.”

Nelson also finished with a strong effort for the Nor’easters

, making 10 saves.

Howard also praised the work of the UNE’s three senior captains, Flagg, Ginny Lee and Anne Cowles for helping get to the ECAC title game.

“I think this is the closest knit group that we have ever had,” Howard said. “They knew [winning a championship] was a goal that we all wanted, and they were all on the same page.”