By Anthony Panciocco
The University of Maine field hockey team trounced the Providence College Friars Monday afternoon. The win improves the Black Bears’ record to 10-8 while Providence falls to 8-8. It was an important win for the Black Bears, as they had dropped their last two games over the weekend.
In a high-scoring first half, UMaine capitalized on an early penalty corner. Freshman midfielder Sydney Veljacic sent a pass to junior midfielder Becca Paradee who tipped it in, giving the Black Bears the 1-0 lead.
Four minutes later junior forward Holly Stewart added a goal of her own. Fellow junior midfielder Annabelle Hamilton sent her a centering pass that she shot and was deflected past the Friars junior goaltender Deidra Clymer. Hamilton and Stewart continue to lead the team in points with 29 and 27, respectively.
Clymer had a difficult day in net. While the Black Bears only managed five shots on goal, Clymer only managed to keep one out of the back of the cage. She saw her record on the year fall to 8-8 with the loss.
Providence responded later in the half when senior forward Sally Adua corralled a rebound and sent it past sophomore netminder Natasha Ford, bringing the score to 2-1. It was the only goal that Ford gave up on the day, saving 10 of the 11 shots she faced. Ford earned her ninth win on the day.
Minutes before halftime, sophomore midfielder Nicole Sevey restored the Black Bears’ two-goal lead off another penalty corner. Veljacic was credited with the assist, her second on the day. Those two assists give Veljacic 16 for the season, adding to an already strong freshman campaign.
UMaine led in penalty corners 7-5 including five in the first half that led to two Black Bear goals.
After an exciting first half, the second was relatively quiet. Forty seven minutes into the contest sophomore midfielder Marisa Shaw passed it to freshman forward Danielle Aviani, who carried it into the circle and sniped the final goal past Clymer to cap off the Black Bears’ 4-1 victory.
The Black Bears will return home to host the winless University of Vermont Catamounts for senior day in the team’s regular season finale Nov. 2.