Audino's Late Goal Lifts Field Hockey Past Northeastern, 1-0

Sunday, September 13

Durham, N.H.

2 PM

University of New Hampshire

(2-3)

Northeastern

(2-4)

Northeastern

New Hampshire

Audino's Late Goal Lifts Field Hockey Past Northeastern, 1-0

9/13/2015 4:52:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. – Katie Audino (Severn, Md.) broke a scoreless tie in the 61^st minute and Melissa Rize (Severn, Md.) stopped every shot she faced to lead the University of New Hampshire field hockey team to Sunday afternoon's 1-0 victory against Northeastern University at Memorial Field.

UNH, which has won 4 of 5 in the series against Northeastern, improved to 2-3 overall. NU is now 2-4.

Rize, who was coming off consecutive eight-save efforts against No. 1 UConn and Dartmouth College, recorded one save each have against Northeastern to record her first career shutout. Northeastern goalie Becky Garner, who exited the game with 2:45 remaining in favor of an extra field player, made four of her five saves in the second half.

The Wildcats' defense, anchored by Chandler Giese (Trappe, Pa.) and Jackie Hozza (Sinking Spring, Pa.), limited NU's offense to three shots and three penalty corners in 70 minutes. In comparison, UNH generated 13 shots, including 10 in the second half, and six corners.

In the 12^th minute, NU's Kellie Stigas collected an entry pass at the top of the circle but Giese retreated and tackled the ball away cleanly to deny a scoring chance. One minute later, Laura MacLachlan carried the ball into the right side but Giese made another tackle to squelch another possible bid.

Midway through the first half, Meg Flatley (Townsend, Mass.) corralled a long hit off the stick of Lindsey Nerbonne (Bow, N.H.) on the right wing and dribbled into the circle, where her shot was kicked aside by Garner's left leg pad.

In the 27^th minute, NU earned its first corner of the game but Vanessa Pryor's high line drive from the top of the circle was ruled dangerous and possession was given to the 'Cats.

With three minutes left in the first half, June Curry-Lindhal gained possession deep on the left side and her shot went into Rize's stacked pads to keep the game scoreless.

One minute later, Natalie Stewart's shot on a penalty corner was initially ruled a goal but it was overturned and the score remained deadlocked.

The Wildcats established the tone for the second half in the opening minutes, when quick passes from Nerbonne to Audino set up Flatley's low blast that went wide left of the cage.

UNH generated a corner in the 47^th minute and the battery of Flatley and Giese combined to set up a direct shot by Ashley Mendonca (Brampton, Ontario) that bounced on target but was stopped by Garner.

Two minutes later, NU was awarded a penalty corner and a series of passes advanced the ball to Kate Carlson, whose flick from the center of the circle was steered aside by Rize.

Taylor Rideout (Barrington, R.I.) created a scoring chance in the 52^nd minute when she intercepted an NU pass just outside the circle. She entered with a couple of touches and then blasted a shot from the top-left toward the near post, but Garner was in position to make the save and keep the game scoreless.

The Wildcats didn't execute cleanly on their next corner with 17:45 to play, but Giese gained possession outside the circle and entered on the top-right side before striking a low shot that Garner kicked away.

UNH earned another corner less than a minute later and this time Mendonca, instead of firing a direct shot, pushed the ball to the left for Hozza, whose low roller was once again stopped by Garner.

New Hampshire thought it scored the game's first goal at 14:35 when Nerbonne's direct shot to the low left was redirected by Lynne Lehman (Landisburg, Pa.), but the initial ruling of goal was changed to a shot that ricocheted off the post and did not cross the goal line.

The Wildcats did take a 1-0 lead, however, at 60:55. Flatley utilized her speed to beat a defender down the left wing before slipping a pass back to the top left of the circle. Audino corralled the ball and advanced with a short dribble before firing a shot inside the right post.

Northeastern called time out but the Huskies did not record a shot the rest of the way.

UNH threatened again with five minutes left when Gianna Bensaia (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) dribbled along the right endline and sent a pass across the goalmouth that was just beyond Nerbonne's reach.

The Huskies' attempt to counterattack was stymied by Giese once again, who tackled the ball away from Abbey MacLellan outside the 25 yard line. With 3:30 on the clock, Flatley struck a low diagonal ball from the top-right side but Audino couldn't connect on the opposite end.

NU pulled Garner in favor of an extra player with 2:45 to play, but UNH's defense kept the Huskies out of the circle until the closing seconds, when Hozza gained possession deep on the left side and cleared the ball to the corner for Giese.

New Hampshire returns to action Sept. 18 (6 p.m.) at College of William & Mary and continues the road trip Sept. 20 (12 p.m.) at eighth-ranked University of Maryland. The Wildcats' next home game is Sept. 26 vs. Providence College.

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