University of Maine
Vermont
Field Hockey Clinches Playoff Berth with 3-2 Victory Over Vermont
10/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
BURLINGTON, Vt. -- The University of Maine Field Hockey team clinched a spot in the 2010 America East Conference tournament for the third year in a row with a 3-2 victory over Vermont on Saturday afternoon. With the win, Maine improves to 12-4 overall and 2-2 in America East play while the Catamounts drop to 5-11 and 0-4 in conference play. Stephanie Gardiner (Vancouver, B.C.) paced Maine with two goals while fellow junior Kelly Newton (Vancouver, B.C.) added her 16th score of the season, giving her 106 career points which is a new Maine school record.
The Catamounts jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Brittanie Booker dribbled around a Maine defender and beat Maine goalkeeper Brittany Fleck (Vancouver, B.C.) far post for the game's first goal.
Maine tied things up 27:01 into the first half. Senior Michelle Niedziejko (West Chester, Pa.) found Gardiner at the top of the circle. Gardiner then rifled a backhand shot from the point that slammed the back of the cage, tying things at 1-1.
Booker would give Vermont a 2-1 lead that they would carry into the second half when she fired a shot that hit off a Maine defender and into the Black Bear cage.
Gardiner would once again tie the game up when she scored her tenth goal of the season 7:53 into the second half. Gardiner ripped a shot that was saved by Catamount goalkeeper Brooke Crane. The rebound bounced back to Gardiner who cleaned things up, scoring the second Maine goal of the afternoon.
Newton would break the tie for Maine at the 55:22 mark as she dribbled past the defense and found herself one-on-one with Crane. Newton made a move and beat Crane, scoring her 16th goal of the season that proved to be the game winner for the Black Bears.
The goal was Newton's 106th point of her career, which is a new University of Maine school-record for career points. Newton now holds the record that was formally held by Janet Hoskin who played for the Black Bears during the 1978-81 season and tallied 104 points during her career.
The win gives Maine their second conference win of the season and locks up a conference playoff spot for the Black Bears.
Maine held the edge in shots by a 27-5 margin and had six penalty corners to Vermont's two.
Fleck improves her record to 12-3 on the season after making one save while Crane drops to 5-11 after making 15 stops in the cage for the Catamounts.
The Black Bears return to action tomorrow when they host Hofstra at the Maine Field Hockey Complex at 12 p.m. Maine will honor its seven seniors as tomorrow's game marks the final regular season home game for the Black Bears.
-U-M-
