Mariani Scores Twice in 4-2 Loss at Maine

Sunday, March 28

Orono, Maine

1 PM

University of New Hampshire

(4-4, 1-3)

Maine

(4-2, 4-0)

UNH

MAINE

Photo by: Michelle Bronner

3/28/2021 4:10:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

ORONO, Maine – Sophomore goalkeeper Jemma Woods (Frimley, England) made a career-high 11 saves, but the University of New Hampshire field hockey team was upended 4-2 by the University of Maine on Sunday afternoon at the UMaine Field Hockey Turf.

Woods, who exited the game briefly in the second quarter when a shot struck above her leg pads, made eight of her 11 saves in the third quarter. She allowed three goals in 52:59. Redshirt freshman Nikki Tredwell (Hampton, N.H.) made one save and yielded one goal in her 7:01 relief appearance.

Sophomore Ava Mariani (Easton, Pa.) scored both UNH goals and senior captain Bloem van den Brekel (Eindhoven, Netherlands) was credited with an assist.

Maine's Chloe Walton scored twice and goalie Mia Borley was credited with three saves.

UNH is 4-4 overall and 1-3 in America East, and is scheduled to play at the University of Vermont on April 3 (3 p.m.). Maine improved to 4-2, 4-0.

FIRST QUARTER

Maine generated the first pressure of the game just 91 seconds after the opening whistle, but Sydney Meader's shot from the right side was stopped by Woods.
Midway through the quarter, UNH earned a penalty corner and the direct shot by freshman Rosalie Post (The Hague, Netherlands) from the top of the circle was knocked aside by Borley's diving effort
The Wildcats sustained pressure and was awarded another corner. This time on a push from the top of the circle to the left side, Post fired another shot stopped by Borley.
UNH quickly sent the ball back into the circle and junior Finn Caron (Hampton, N.H.), at the left doorstep, redirected a shot on goal that was kicked aside by Borley.

SECOND QUARTER

Tredwell entered the game in the 21^st minute.
Maine took a 1-0 lead at 25:22 on a goal by Brittany Smith. On a broken play off a penalty corner, Abby Webber slipped a pass down low and Smith deposited a shot into the right corner.
Woods reentered the game with 2:12 remaining in the half.
Mariani's shot rolled wide of the cage in the closing seconds, and the home team took a one-goal advantage into halftime.

THIRD QUARTER

Walton extended the lead to 2-0 just 42 seconds into the second half.
In the 34^th minute, Woods stopped consecutive shots by Walton, Madisyn Hartley and Walton again in a span of eight seconds to keep the 'Cats within two goals
Mariani trimmed the deficit to 2-1 at 35:08. Senior captain Isabelle Danahy (Chelmsford, Mass.) intercepted a pass at midfield and advanced the ball through the middle to sophomore Jaiden Wittel (Stroudsburg, Pa.). She swung a pass to the right side, where the ball was corralled by Mariani, who charged toward the post and flipped a shot inside the near post.
Woods stopped another flurry of three shots – this time within 10 seconds – in the 40^th minute to keep the margin at one goal.
She made one more save in the final minute of the period to keep the score 2-1 through three quarters.

FOURTH QUARTER

Maine reestablished a two-goal advantage 1:39 into the final period when Hana Davis' blast from the top-right rolled inside the far post.
With six minutes remaining, Mariani's centering pass from the right wing found Caron in the middle of the circle, but Borley made a sliding tackle to prevent a shot attempt.
UNH once again pulled within one goal, 3-2, at 54:41 when van den Brekel's shot was tipped in by Mariani at the right doorstep.
The Black Bears struck again less than two minutes later (at 56:33) as Walton's second goal of the game gave the home team a 4-2 advantage.
The Wildcats would not go quietly, however, as van den Brekel's shot beat Borley but ricocheted off the post with 2:14 remaining.
Neither team recorded a shot or corner the rest of the way.

GAME NOTEBOOK

Maine finished with a 21-9 shot advantage that included 16-5 on goal.
Penalty corners were even at two.
In the fourth quarter, all three shots on goal resulted in a goal.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Mariani now leads UNH in both goals (six) and points (12) following her two-goal effort at Maine. She's scored six goals on 11 shots for a .500 shooting percentage.
The two goals and four points both tie career highs for Mariani.
van den Brekel has 16 assists and 54 points, as well as 19 goals, in 62 games. The senior is UNH's active leader in both assists and points, and ranks second in goals.
Tredwell made her first appearance since Game 2 on March 3

SERIES NOTEBOOK