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Field Hockey Downs Fairfield, Clinches Playoff Berth
Nov. 1, 2008
ORONO, Maine--The University of Maine field hockey defeated Fairfield 3-1 on Saturday afternoon at the Maine Field Hockey Complex. With the win, Maine improves to 6-9 overall and 3-2 in America East play. The win also clinched an America East playoff berth for the Black Bears. Fairfield went to 4-14 overall and 1-4 in conference play. Maine was led by Máire Dineen (Toronto, Ontario) who had two assists. The Black Bears got on the board in the fifth minute of play when Dineen passed the ball to Nicole Emery (Winthrop, Maine) who beat Fairfield goalie Jennifer Utz to the far post. Maine expanded its lead in the 12th minute when Stephanie Gardiner (Vancouver, British Columbia) took a shot from the right side that beat Utz to give Maine a two-goal cushion. The Black Bears outshot Fairfield 11-to-4 in the first half of play. In the second half, Fairfield cut the lead to one in the 56th minute when Molly Byrnes beat Maine goalie Brittany Fleck (Vancouver, British Columbia) off a pass from Alexandria Hein. The Black Bears scored the insurance goal five minutes later when Dineen passed the ball up to Jocelyn Mitchell (Kanata, Ontario) who was going to the net hard, and she slipped it by Utz. Maine outshot Fairfield by a 15-to-10 margin. Fleck finished with four saves for the Black Bears while Utz made three for Fairfield. The game was Senior Day for Emery, Gigi Niekrash (Madison, Conn.) and Kim MacDonald (East Greenwich, R.I.). The three seniors have led Maine to two America East Championship game appearances and a share of the 2005 America East Regular Season Championship. Off the field, they have all been named Maine Scholar-Athlete Award winners and to the America East Academic Honor Roll.
Maine returns to action tomorrow at Holy Cross for a 1 p.m. game. The Black Bears will play in the America East Tournament next weekend at an opponent to be determined. |
