BIDDEFORD — The University of New England women’s soccer team scored a pair of goals in each half on its way to a 4-0 victory over the University of Maine Farmington in a non-conference game played under hot and humid conditions Saturday afternoon at Barbara J. Hazard Field.

The Nor’easters have now outscored their opponents 8-1 in getting off to a 2-0 start on the young season. The match was the first for the Beavers (0-1). The game was the first meeting between the two teams since 1998.

UNE controlled the contest from the outset, reaching double digits in shots before UMF came up with its first attempt. The Nor’easters then cracked the scoring column in the 19th minute. After a Farmington turnover, sophomore Anna Michaud pushed the ball to junior Jackie Dickerson, who dribbled into the box from just inside half field and directed a low shot inside the right post to beat UMF junior keeper Sam Hatch after she came off her line.

UNE doubled its lead in the 33rd minute when junior Kayla Hamel sent a corner kick from the left side to the top of the box. First-year Brionne Turcotte won the ball in the air, heading it to sophomore Jessica Meader, who in turn headed it over the outstretched arms of Hatch.

The Nor’easters got second-half goals from Michaud and first-year Becca Murphy to win going away. Michaud took advantage of a UMF turnover, lobbing a 30-yard shot from left of center just inside the near post in the 53rd minute. Murphy recorded her first collegiate marker less than five minutes later when she knocked in a header off a service from the left flank by first-year Sarah Bunnell.

UNE dominated the stat sheet, leading 36-5 in shots and 18-0 in corner kicks. Sophomore Emily Richard played the first half in goal to earn the victory. Classmate Brielle Robinson and senior Sarah Papapietro came off the bench in the second frame.

UNE returns to action Wednesday when it hosts Husson at 6:30 p.m.

Field Hockey

UNE 7, CASTLETON ST. 1

CASTLETON, Vt. — Senior Erin Bibber scored the first three goals of the contest and UNE never looked back, registering a 7-1 non-conference field hockey victory over Castleton State College on Saturday evening.

After two in the 1st half, Bibber made it a career-high hat trick less than two minutes into the second period. It marks the first three-goal performance by a UNE player since in the last 41 games.

UNE (2-1) continued to pour it on with goals from senior Beth Sullivan, sophomore Nicole Matarozzo, senior Hannah Warren, and first-year Becky Zakorchemny. Sullivan and Matarozzo also tallied assists in the contest.

The Spartans (0-2) got on the board at the 44:29 mark courtesy of Briana Bocelli.

Sophomore Holly Smith posted two saves for the UNE decision. The visitors out-shot their opponents by a 24-5 margin while matching their highest goal output since the 2010 season (77 games).

The Nor’easters are off until Saturday, when Nichols College comes to Biddeford to open up Commonwealth Coast Conference play.

XC teams compete at Saint Anselm

MANCHESTER, N.H. — The UNE men’s cross country team placed third out of nine schools at the 2014 Shacklette Invitational, an event hosted by Saint Anselm College on Saturday.

The Nor’easters (83 points) trailed only NCAA Division II entries Merrimack College and Stonehill College, who posted team scores of 38 and 50, respectively.

Junior co-captain CJ Vallie finished seventh overall for UNE, circling the eight-kilometer course in a time of 27:45. Vallie has now been the first UNE runner to cross the line in his last nine starts.

Peter LePage narrowly missed placing in the Top 10. The senior registered a time of 28:07 to finish 11th.

Former Thornton Academy standout Ryan Cadorette finished fourth overall in a time of 27:23 running for Bentley College.

The UNE women’s team finished third out of nine entries.

Division II squads Stonehill College (62) and Assumption College (72) edged the Nor’easters, who posted an aggregate score of 75 under brutally hot and humid conditions.

Sophomore Tiana Thomas led the way for UNE, finishing third overall with a time of 19:07. She was just 16 seconds behind winner Chloe Boutelle of Saint Michael’s College.

Volleyball splits with Colby-Sawyer, Lasell

BIDDEFORD — Senior Leah Janelle tallied 13 kills and four aces to lead the UNE women’s volleyball team to a 3-0 sweep of Lasell College on Saturday morning at the Harold Alfond Forum in the first of two matches of a tri-match. Set scores of the non-conference match were 25-17, 25-22, and 25-22.

Colby-Sawyer College received 11 kills apiece from seniors Stephanie Vecchio and Jackie Keating to fuel a 3-0 victory over UNE in non-conference women’s volleyball action Saturday afternoon. Set scores were 25-17, 25-17, and 25-21.