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BROOKLINE, Mass. – Senior forward Sara Hourihan (Lynnfield, Mass.) netted her second goal of the season, but the University of New Hampshire women’s soccer team dropped Friday night’s 3-1 decision to Northeastern University at Parsons Field.

Shaunna Kaplan

With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 1-5-1 on the season, while the Huskies improve to 3-1-1. It is the first time all season the ‘Cats allowed more than two goals, as well as the first defeat by more than one goal.

Trailing, 2-0, 15:20 into the second half, Hourihan took a feed from junior forward Shaunna Kaplan (Framingham, Mass.) and blasted the ball just over the head of Northeastern goalkeeper Stephanie Gordon and into the back of the net to cut the Huskie lead in half. Hourihan now leads the team in goals, Kaplan is tops in assists (3) and both players are the teams’ leading scorer with five points each.

Just over two minutes later, Northeastern regained its two-goal cushion when Gabbi Jatkola’s long pass enabled Veronica Napoli to get past the UNH defense and beat senior goalkeeper Nikki Golding (Milton, Mass.) to make it 3-1.

The Northeastern defense clamped down for the rest of the match and forced Gordon to make just four saves on the night.

Golding racked up the saves again for the Wildcats, tying her career high by stopping 10 shots. Golding has now beaten or tied her career high in saves in all three of the starts she has made this season.

The Huskies, who outshot the Wildcats, 17-6, including 11-4 in the first half, drew first blood 15:36 into the game after Jenna Lucchesi found Jatkola, who put the ball over Golding’s shoulder for the 1-0 lead.

The game stayed that way through the half and into the 53^rd minute where Liza Rebello took the rebound off of Jatkola’s shot that clanked off the post and put it past Golding for the two-goal advantage.

The Wildcats return to action Friday, Sept. 19 at 4 p.m. when they play host to Pac-10 foe Oregon State (3-1-0) at Lewis Fields.