ORONO, Maine – Maine’s historic season was punctuated with the program’s first America East field hockey championship in program history on Sunday.
The Black Bears prevailed over UAlbany in a shootout in front of a mammoth crowd at the University of Maine. Both teams were tied, 1-1, after regulation and neither could find the back of the cage through two overtimes. In the shootout Maine keeper Mia Borley was outstanding, saving all but one of the Great Danes’ attempts to give her team the victory. Sunday marked the second-straight #AEFH Championship decided by at least two overtimes.
The Black Bears learned their NCAA Tournament draw Sunday night and will travel to Miami (OH) for the program's first NCAA game on Wednesday.
Sophomore Poppy Lambert scored the game’s first goal on a penalty stroke awarded to the Black Bears. Early in the second half, the Great Danes found the equalizer when sophomore Charlotte Triggs beat Borley from the top of the circle.
Both teams withstood green cards and numerous penalty corners through two overtimes to send the game to the shootout. The Great Danes held the shot advantage 17-11 and both teams managed three shots apiece in the overtime periods.
Borley was named Most Outstanding Player of the championship, making seven saves in the final game. The senior saved three shots in the team’s 2-1 semifinals win over Cal.
Lambert joined Borley on the All-Championship Team along with teammates Hana Davis and Cassandra Mascarenhas.
UAlbany’s freshman net-minder Lara Behn allowed just one goal all week long, totaling two shutouts and 13 saves in three games to earn All-Championship recognition. Fellow Great Danes Julie Rodijk and Alison Smisdom were also selected to the team along with Cal’s Cato Knipping and Megan Connors, Monmouth’s Hannah Schiavo and Annick van Lange, Stanford’s Molly Redgrove and UNH’s Bloem van den Brekel.
Maine junior Julia Ross earned the conference’s Elite 18 honor with a 3.98 GPA in biomedical engineering.
For championship box scores, highlights and recaps as well as tournament history visit #AEFH Championship Central.
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