Sophomore Rachel Hilgar’s goal with 2:23 left in overtime gave third-seeded Maine a 4-3 win over second-seeded New Hampshire in an America East Semifinal game at Sweeney Field. The win sends the Black Bears, 15-3, to the conference championship for the first time in six tries in the tournament. Maine will meet defending champion Northeastern, a 5-0 winner over Vermont, in the America East Championship game Sunday at 2 p.m. at Sweeney Field.
Sophomore Mari Creatini scored two goals as top-seeded Northeastern tied an America East Championship record for goals and posted the largest margin of victory in the 13-year history of the tournament. Creatini scored twice in a span of 3:36 early in the first half, each time assisted by America East Defensive Player of the Year Fior Arrindell as the Huskies improved to 16-4. Her first goal came inside the circle with 27:34 remaining in the first half. She added her second goal inside the circle at 23:58.
The Huskies, ranked No. 7 in the nation, increased the lead to 3-0 when sophomore Liane Dixon scored her conference-leading 16th goal unassisted with 12:36 remaining in the half. Dixon then set up Marueen Connelly with 10:19 remaining in the second half for a 4-0 lead. Rookie Jay Quinn closed the scoring with 42 seconds remaining. That goal tied the conference championship record for goals in a game set by Boston University in a 5-1 win over Vermont in 1991, the last time the Catamounts had qualified for the conference tournament.
Northeastern dominated the match, out-shooting the Catamounts 24-4 and holding an 18-1 edge in penalty corners. Senior Emily Roy made two saves for the Huskies. Senior Holly Colberg had nine saves for Vermont, 7-13.
Hilgar’s goal, the third of the game set up by senior Tara Bedard, who now leads the conference with 14 assists this season, capped a comeback from a 3-0 second half deficit.
The Black Bears needed three goals in the final 30 minutes to force overtime. Sophomore Amie Dubois scored her second goal of the game and fifth of the season with 35 seconds remaining to force the extra session. Junior Jana Ouellette had cut the Wildcat lead to 3-1 with 29:47 left off an assist from Bedard. Dubois made it a one-goal deficit when she scored off another feed from Bedard with 24:25 left.
New Hampshire had built a 3-0 lead on goals by junior Courtney Goodwin, sophomore Jenn Harrison and America East Rookie of the Year Katie White. Goodwin scored off a penalty corner with 28:51 remaining in the first half and White made it 2-0 5:32 later when she was set up by America East Offensive Player of the Year Marcie Boyer. Harrison scored just 32 seconds into the second half and the Wildcats appeared to be cruising.
Junior Jaye Lance, the America East first-team all-conference goalkeeper had three saves for the Black Bears. Sophomore Christine Buckley made five stops for the Wildcats, 12-8.
Northeastern will be playing for its eighth conference championship in the 13-year history of the tournament.
Northeastern (16-4) 3 2 -- 5
Vermont (7-13) 0 0 -- 0
Scoring
First Half
NU Mari Creatini-12 (Fior Arrindell) 27:34 remaining
NU Creatini-13 (Arrindell) 23:53
NU Liane Dixon-16 (unassisted) 12:36
Second Half
NU Maureen Connelly-7 (Dixon) 10:19
NU Jay Quinn-3 (unassisted) :42
Shots: Northeastern 24, Vermont 4
Penalty Corners: Northeastern 18, Vermont 1
Saves: Northeastern (Emily Roy, 70:00, 2); Vermont (Holly Colberg, 70:00, 9)
New Hampshire (12-8) 2 1 0 -- 3
Maine (15-3) 0 3 1 -- 4
Scoring
First Half
NH Courtney Goodwin-2 (Jen Stamp, Kristen Weldon) 28:51 remaining
NH Katie White-5 (Marcie Boyer) 2319
Second Half
NH Jenn Harrison-2 (Lizzy Duffy) 34:28
UM Jana Ouellette-5 (Tara Bedard) 29:47
UM Amie Dubois-4 (unassisted) 24:25
UM Dubois-5 (Bedard) :35
Overtime
UM Rachel Hilgar-8 (Bedard) 2:23
Shots: New Hampshire 10, Maine 14
Penalty Corners: New Hampshire 14, Maine 11
Saves: New Hampshire (Christine Buckley, 82:37, 5); Maine (Jaye Lance, 82:37, 3)