Field Hockey taken down by UNE

Box Score BRISTOL, R.I. – The University of New England claimed a 3-0 victory over the Roger Williams University Field Hockey team Saturday afternoon in Commonwealth Coast Conference action.

It was a battle for possession early on in the game. Both teams jockeyed for position on the ball, but managed to deny each other opportunities on the offensive end. Neither team managed a single shot over the first ten minutes of the game.

The first shot of the game proved to be a crucial one for the Nor'Easters, as UNE's Becky Zakorchemny (Gilford, N.H.) scored the first goal of the game on the attempt. In the tenth minute, Zakorchemny grabbed possession of the ball on a deflected pass. She then put up a shot that made its way up the middle through a couple of Hawk defenders and into the back of the goal to give UNE a 1-0 lead.

The Hawk offense struggled to get in a rhythm, as they were held to only two shots in the period. Katherine Mahoney (West Suffield, Conn.) logged RWU's first attempt of the game in the 14th minute with a Nor'Easter defender draped all over her. Kylie Burst (Howell, N.J.) notched the other shot for RWU in the 30th minute towards the upper left corner of the goal, but was denied by Nor'Easter keeper Holly Smith (Peabody, Mass.).

UNE added to its lead in the 45th minute, when Nicole Matarozzo (Wolfeboro, N.H.) put in a loose ball off of a shot from Desirae LeBlanc (Manchester, N.H.). LeBlanc had her shot glance off of the post and into the waiting stick of Matarozzo, who then notched her 14th goal of the year.

The Nor'Easters had a chance two minutes to add another goal, as Vonde Saunders (Conway, N.H.) brought the ball down the middle with a one-on-one chance against the goalie, but Alexandra Baxter (Groton, Mass.) ran her down and deflected the ball away before she could get a shot up.

UNE would eventually get that other goal in the 64th minute. Matarozzo brought the ball up the middle into the arc and tapped a short pass to her left to Vonde Saunders (Conway, N.H.). Saunders sent her shot into the left corner for the final score of the contest.

Smith earned her ninth win of the year, making two saves for the Nor'Easters. Mya Lunn (Marion, Mass.) tallied six saves in the setback.

Roger Williams (5-9, 2-5 CCC) will head to Nichols College on Wednesday for a 4:00 p.m. matchup, while UNE (9-5, 6-1 CCC) will host Endicott College on the same date and time.

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