Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine field hockey team concluded its regular season by earning a 3-2 shootout victory over UC Davis on Sunday afternoon at the Maine Field Hockey Complex. The win clinched a share of the America East regular season title for the Black Bears and the number two seed in the upcoming America East tournament. Maine ends the regular season with a 7-3 overall mark and a 7-1 record in league play.
Tereza Holubcova,
Chloe Walton, and
Julia Ross each converted on their shootout attempts, with Ross' tally being the eventual game-winner, as
Mia Borley sealed the deal by stopping three of UC Davis' four shootout attempts.
Maine will begin its postseason run in the America East semifinals, hosted by Monmouth, on Thursday with start time to be determined. The Black Bears will play either Stanford or UAlbany in the opening round. Stay tuned to GoBlackBears.com and follow the Black Bears on social media for all postseason updates and information.
After a scoreless first half, the Aggies began the scoring just 40-seconds into the third quarter when Shea Gavin tipped in a shot off the stick of Madison Theodore.
Walton evened the score at 44:30 with her sixth goal of the season.
Poppy Lambert earned the assist as she rifled a shot towards the cage before Walton was able to get a stick on the shot, redirecting it high into the cage.
UC Davis answered just under seven minutes later to take a 2-1 edge on Emily Chen's goal. Theodore again earned the assist on the tally.
The Black Bears tied things at 2-2 with just 4:31 remaining in regulation. Walton controlled the ball at the top of the circle before sending a shot to the left side of the cage. Walton's shot was saved aside but right to the stick of
Brittany Smith who buried her attempt for her second goal of the season.
After a pair of scoreless overtime periods, the regulation season finale would move to a shootout round.
Holubcova and Walton each capitalized on their attempts while Borley made stopped two of UC Davis' first three attempts. Ross put Maine up 3-1 before Borley shut down the Aggies' final attempt to secure the victory for Maine.
-UMaine-
