The University of Maine field hockey team’s season came to an end on Friday morning as second seed the University of New Hampshire scored two goals in the first 5:26 of the game; built a 4-0 lead and withstood a Black Bear rally to earn a 5-3 victory in their America East semifinal in Albany.
UNH, now 10-9, advanced to Sunday’s noon final against fourth Vermont, which stunned top seed Albany, 1-0. UVM is 10-8.
UMaine had beaten No. 3 University of California Davis 4-3 on Thursday morning while UNH received a bye as did Albany.
UMaine finished up at 11-9.
The Black Bears gave up at least four goals in four of their last eight games.
On Friday morning, Nicole Poulakis scored a pair of goals, her 10th and 11th of the season, to lead the Wildcats past the Black Bears.
Brecken Calcari scored her fourth of the season just 4:32 into the game and Poulakis extended the lead 54 seconds later.
Poulakis made it 3-0 in the second period and Kathelijne Knuttel made it 4-0 2:43 later with her 17th.
The Black Bears climbed back into the game with three goals 2:54 apart later in the second period by Kate Richardson (7th), Alexandra Sacker (4th) and Zoe Furber (4th).
But the Black Bears couldn’t get any closer and UNH’s Faye Meijer added an important insurance goal, her seventh of the season, in the third quarter.
UNH held UMaine to just one shot attempt over the final 15 minutes and it was blocked.
Abby Johnson made five saves for UNH, which had 18 shot attempts to UMaine’s 12 with 16 going on goal compared to UMaine’s eight.
UMaine’s Jayde Temby made six saves and allowed three goals and Rozarie Mrazova had five stops and allowed two goals.
On Thursday, senior fullback Poppy Lambert became UMaine’s all-time leading goal scorer with her 58th in the win over UC Davis. She scored on a penalty stroke. Olivia Geniti, Micaela Grajales and Richardson scored the others with Richardson breaking a 3-3 tie in the fourth quarter.
