NEWTON, Mass. - The University of Maine field hockey team pulled off one of their most significant victories over a ranked opponent in program history on Sunday afternoon, defeating the No. 5 Northwestern Wildcats by a 4-3 score in overtime. 

The Wildcats gave the Black Bears all they could handle, scoring with under five minutes remaining in the game to force a 3-3 tie and overtime. Maine goalkeeper Mia Borley was otherwise outstanding, making three saves over the final five minutes of regulation and stopping the nation's lead goal scorer Bente Baekers seventeen seconds into the first overtime period. Brianna Ricker continued her torrid scoring streak, notching the opening Black Bears' goal and the game-winner 3:22 into overtime to lift Maine to victory. 

GAME NOTES

• Ricker scored on a breakaway for the game-winner, and her two tallies today give her nine goals on the season and 19 points overall, both team-highs and good for a top-five ranking in the conference.
• Chloe Walton and Brooke Sulinski also collected a goal each, the third of the season for both of them.
• As mentioned, Mia Borley played an excellent 63:22 in goal, totaling eight saves on the afternoon.
• Northwestern outshot Maine 15-10 (5-0 in the fourth) and had a 9-4 advantage in corners (4-0 in the fourth).
• The win raises Maine to 3-7 to start the year, and is the team's first back-to-back set of wins in 2019. 
• The win over No. 5 Northwestern is Maine's highest-ranked victory in at least the last five seasons. 

UP NEXT

• The Black Bears dip back into the America East conference for their next tilt, a 3:00 matchup with Monmouth on Friday, October 11th. They'll return home the following Sunday for a noontime contest with non-conference foe Quinnipiac.