University of Maine
Fairfield
Field Hockey Gets First Conference Win, 6-2 Over Fairfield
10/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
ORONO, Maine -- Kelly Newton (Vancouver, British Columbia) and Jocelyn Mitchell (Kanata, Ontario) each tallied a pair of goals as Maine defeated Fairfield by a score of 6-2. The Black Bears pick up their first conference win and move to 1-2 in America East play and 11-4 overall. The Stags drop to 8-7 and 0-3 in conference play with the loss.
Mitchell kicked off the scoring 8:30 into the first half, notching her 13th goal of the season. Newton carried the ball into the Stags circle and sent a pass over to Mitchell. Mitchell hit the back of the cage to give Maine a 1-0 edge.
Newton got on the scoreboard next for Maine as she forced a turnover before the Stags could clear the ball out of their zone. Newton dribbled in and beat Fairfield goalkeeper Maddy Sposito, giving Maine a 2-0 lead.
Junior Stephanie Gardiner (Vancouver, British Columbia) put Maine up 3-0, 17:28 into the contest. Senior Maire Dineen (Toronto, Ontario) gathered the ball off a penalty corner and sent a shot towards the Stags' cage. Gardiner was in perfeect position on the right post as she tipped the shot into the back of the cage.
The Black Bears would extend their lead to 4-0 just over three minutes later when Mitchell found the back of the cage for the second time. After a scramble in front, Newton was able to tip the ball over to Mitchell who was set up right in front of the Stags cage. Mitchell slid a shot into the cage for her 14th goal of the season.
Fairfield would get on the board before the end of the first half when Jill Keeney beat Maine goalkeeper Brittany Fleck (Vancouver, British Columbia). Anne Nieuwenhuis assisted on the goal for the Stags.
Maine would add to their lead 13:41 into the second half when Newton notched her second goal, and sixth point of the day. Brittney Cummings (Belfast, Maine) carried the ball in for Maine and dumped off a pass through the middle. Newton controlled the ball and then sent a shot at the Fairfield cage that snuck past Sposito for the Black Bears' fifth goal of the afternoon.
Senior Cassandra Mendonca would add Maine's sixth goal at 60:23 when she tapped in a rebound on the left post to give Maine a 6-1 advantage.
The Stags would add a goal by Marit Westenberg but eventually come up short as Maine took the victory, 6-2.
Fleck picked up her eleventh win in the cage for Maine as she moves to 11-3 on the season after making four saves. Sposito drops to 6-7 on the year after making nine saves for the Stags.
The Black Bears out shot Fairfield by a 20-11 advantage and also had eight penalty corners to Fairfield's four.
The Black Bears return to America East action on Oct. 23 when they travel to take on the Vermont Catamounts at 1 p.m. The following day will be Senior Day for Maine when they return home to take on Hofstra at 12 p.m.
-U-M-
