Field Hockey Defeated 5-0 in America East Title Game By No. 14 UAlbany

Saturday, November 8

Albany, NY

1 pm

University of New Hampshire

(10-12)

University at Albany

(18-2)

Team	1	2	Final F
New Hampshire	0	0	0
Albany (N.Y.)	2	3	5

Field Hockey Defeated 5-0 in America East Title Game By No. 14 UAlbany

11/8/2014 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

Box Score

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The University of New Hampshire field hockey team fell one game short of defending its America East Championship title with Saturday afternoon's 5-0 loss to 14^th-ranked University at Albany in this year's championship game at Alumni Turf Field.

The second-seeded Wildcats, who advanced to the championship game for the fifth consecutive year and won the crown in 2011 and 2013, ends the season at 9-12. Top-seeded UAlbany, which also won the conference title in '08, '10 and '12, extended its win streak to 12 games to improve to 18-2.

UNH goalkeeper Carlie Tarbell (Wakefield, Mass.), named to the All-Conference Second Team prior to the tourney, made seven saves. All-Rookie Team selection Ashley Mendonca (Brampton, Ontario) was credited with a defensive save, her third of the season.

Paula Heuser recorded two goals and an assist for the Great Danes, who recorded a 15-9 shot advantage that included a 9-3 margin in the first half; she was honored as the championship's Most Outstanding Player. Pahila Arnold, Echo Bretz and Anna Bottino scored UAlbany's other goals. Laura Page and Amy Nicklin tallied assists and goalie Maxi Primus made four of her six saves in the second half.

The Great Danes pressured in the opening minutes as Mendonca was forced to make a defensive save on Heuser's penalty corner shot at 1:54. The home team generated another corner and converted that opportunity into a 1-0 lead at 4:29 when Pahila deflected in Heuser's blast.

Tarbell denied Bottino in the 11^th minute to keep the 'Cats within a goal, and then she made a stop against Heuser one minute later. Moments later, Heuser struck a shot that ricocheted off the post.

UAlbany continued to pressure and extended the advantage to 2-0 at 11:22 when Tarbell turned away Kelly Bonner's shot by Bottino scored off the rebound.

A Great Danes' penalty corner in the 20^th minute produced shots on target by Arnold and Emily White, but Tarbell made two saves.

New Hampshire recorded its first shot of the game at 29:47 but that effort by Emma Compagna (Canton, Mass.) was blocked by a defender. UNH was awarded a corner in the 31^st minute, but the shot off the stick of Jackie Hozza (Sinking Spring, Pa.) was knocked away by Primus. The 'Cats sustained pressure, however, and Lynne Lehman (Landisburg, Pa.) was denied by Primus.

UAlbany took a 2-0 lead into halftime with a 9-3 shot advantage and 5-2 edge in corners.

UNH recorded the first shot of the second half, but All-Conference Second Team honoree Meg Flatley (Townsend, Mass.) was stopped by Primus in the 41^st minute. One minute later, the Wildcats earned a corner and this time Primus made the save against Kellie Joyce (South Pomfret, Vt.), a First Team selection.

The 'Cats quickly earned another corner and this time a shot from the top-right by Chandler Giese (Trappe, Pa.), UNH's other First Team honoree, was blocked by a charging defender. New Hampshire regained possession and another corner led to a shot by Linsdsey Nerbonne (Bow, N.H.), another Second Team representative, wide of the cage.

UAlbany began to wrest momentum back in its favor in the 47^th minute, when Heuser struck a shot wide and another on target that Tarbell stopped. UNH called time out at 47:39, but another Great Danes' corner produced a 3-0 lead on Heuser's goal at 50:00. Heuser scored on the game's next shot to extend the margin to four goals at 52:04 and Bretz capped the three-goal flurry in a span of 4:11 with a tally at 54:11.

UNH recorded just one shot the rest of the way, and that was Mendonca's shot on target in the waning seconds.

Flatley, Joyce and Nerbonne were named to the America East All-Championship Team. Heuser was joined by teammates Nicklin, Primus and Jaclyn Hibbs.

The end of the 2014 season also brings the end of UNH Wildcat careers for seniors Tarbell, Joyce and Maegan Grew (Hampton Falls, N.H.). Joyce and Grew started every New Hampshire game in four years while Tarbell was a three-year starter in goal. The trio made NCAA tournament appearances in 2011 and 2013.