BIDDEFORD — Top-seeded University of New England received a goal from Kendra MacDonald 6:47 into overtime to finish off a 2-1 comeback victory over No. 4 Western New England University in the semifinals of the 2017 Commonwealth Coast Conference Field Hockey Championship on Wednesday evening at the Big Blue Turf.
The Nor’easters (16-4) advance to host second-seeded Endicott College (a 5-1 winner over Salve Regina) in Saturday’s 1 p.m. league title match.
UNE had trailed for more than 66 minutes of the contest, before Olivia Madore, who is from Lyman, netted a rebound with 3:05 remaining to tie things up.
The hosts controlled the play beyond regulation, recording all six shots. After a defensive restart was stolen by the Nor’easters, Western New England goalie Grace Trupe stepped up to save two shots, but MacDonald collected the rebound off her own try and sent the game-winner trickling just barely across the line through a bunch of legs in the crease.
Overall, UNE posted a 31-6 advantage in shot attempts, and had a 12-2 cushion in penalty corners. Trupe — who ended with 18 saves — and the Golden Bears (9-10) did very well to keep the Nor’easters off the scoreboard for so long.
The visiting squad wasted no time gaining the 1-0 lead, a mere 43 seconds into the first period. A shot and a save fell to Jacqueline Clark in front, and she slipped a pass to a wide-open Michelle Carlson on the left side for the initial goal.
Liz Sargent made five stops for the Nor’easters, whose rally secured a ninth consecutive win. UNE is now 20-0 all-time versus Western New England, although two of the three meetings this season ventured past 70 minutes of action.
Additionally, the result booked UNE a fifth straight appearance in the CCC final. The Nor’easters have captured the last three championships, including twice (2014, 2015) in overtime against Saturday’s foe, Endicott. Both of the 2017 regular-season duels between UNE and the Gulls also featured extra time, as each side came away with the decision on its home field.
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