ORONO – The University of Maine field hockey team is off to its best start since it won its first eight games in 2018.
The Black Bears received a first-half penalty stroke goal from fifth-year senior center back Poppy Lambert and second-half goals from Kent State University transfers Victoria Tinghitella and Alexandra Sacker en route to a 3-1 victory over Hofstra at the UMaine field hockey complex on Friday.
UMaine is now 3-1 after winning its third straight game while Hofstra fell to 0-2.
It was an evenly-played first half with few good scoring chances until the last five minutes of the period when the Black Bears took control and created a number of opportunities.
One of the opportunities came off a penalty corner and led to Lambert’s penalty stroke.
A UMaine shot that appeared headed for the back of the cage was stopped by the body of a Hofstra player, resulting in a penalty stroke.
And Lambert calmly converted with a rising shot over the right shoulder of the helpless Hofstra goalkeeper Pieke Roos.
It was her first of the season.
The Black Bears had two glorious chances to extend the lead.
Saylor Kuefler had a redirection off an Olivia Geniti shot that forced Roos into a nice reactive save with her hand.
Seconds later, Kate Richardson threaded a pass to the wide open Kuefler in front of the cage but the pass handcuffed her and she couldn’t tap it into the open net.
The Black Bears took that momentum into the second half and completely dominated the third quarter, pinning the Pride in its own end and earning five penalty corners.
They converted off a corner 4:51 into the period with a perfectly-executed passing sequence.
Olivia Geniti inserted the ball to Alexandra Sacker and she slid it across to Lambert.
Lambert whipped the ball across to the middle of the penalty circle and Tinghitella deflected it between Roos’ legs for her second of the season.
Roos made a number of saves to keep her team in it.
But, in the fourth quarter, Sacker notched her first of the season with a rocket from the top of the circle off a penalty corner.
Geniti and Tinghitella assisted.
Teresa Karoff scored off Hofstra’s first corner of the second half.
UMaine had a 14-8 edge in shot attempts.
UMaine’s Rozarie Mrazova and Roos each made six saves.
