Poulakis' Three Goals Propels UNH Past Cal, 5-2

Sunday, October 9

Durham, N.H.

12 PM

University of New Hampshire

(6-6, 2-2AE)

Cal

(3-8, 2-3AE)

CAL

New Hampshire

Photo by: Andrew Yourell

10/9/2022 4:05:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

PHOTO GALLERY

DURHAM, N.H. – Freshman Nicole Poulakis (Ajax, Ontario) scored three goals to propel the University of New Hampshire field hockey team to Sunday afternoon's 5-2 victory against America East rival California at Memorial Field on Homecoming weekend.

Poulakis' career-high three goals also marked a personal best of six points. Classmate Tasmin Cookman (Woking, England) chipped in with two assists. Twin sister Tamera Cookman (Woking, England) and senior Leah Glidden (Kittery, Maine) scored UNH's other goals.

Senior goalkeeper Jemma Woods (Frimley, England) was credited with nine saves and freshman Anne Dabekaussen (Badhoevedorp, Netherlands) made a defensive save.

For Cal, starting goalie Cato Knipping played the first half; she recorded two saves, allowed three goals and was charged with the loss. Tina Jolly came in for the second half, made three saves and allowed two goals.

UNH won its third consecutive game to improve to 6-6 overall, 5-1 at home and 2-2 in America East. Cal moves to 3-8, 2-2.

UP NEXT

UNH continues its homestand Oct. 14 (2 p.m.) against the University of Vermont.

COACH'S QUOTES (UNH head coach Robin Balducci)
"Today's win was really an important one for us to start this next phase for the conference standings and getting into the conference tournament. We talked a lot about these two games – Cal and Vermont – being really important to us."

"I was very happy because we had a great game plan today that the ladies stayed to and carried out to the fullest. I was mostly pleased with our pressing and defensive schemes. Cal is a very, very good and volatile team. They kind of explode out there at times."

"I was pleased with how we were able to settle in and recoup ourselves in the fourth quarter. Cal outplayed us in the third but we did a really nice job of getting control in the fourth again."

"And obviously it (scoring goals) continues with our young guys. Wreaking havoc in the attack circle. Great effort and we scored on a corner, which is important."

"A lot of pieces are starting to come together and I'm happy with the overall body of work from the group today."

"At the point they were peppering us a little bit, Jemma came up with some big-time saves. That allowed us to stay calm because she was so steady back there for us, to then go on the attack."

FIRST QUARTER

New Hampshire generated a 6-4 shot advantage and ended the quarter tied 1-1.
Poulakis opened the scoring when she was sprung down the right wing with anchors of space to advance into the circle. She maneuvered around the keeper and tapped the ball into the open cage at 5:06.
Twenty-three seconds later, UNH was awarded a penalty stroke. Tasmin Cookman stepped up to take it, but Knippng made a blocker save to keep the score 1-0.
Cal leveled the score at 10:43 on a corner with the direct shot from the stick of Olivia Sharratt at the top of the circle.

SECOND QUARTER

UNH was outshot 6-5 in the but took a 3-1 lead in the second quarter.
The Wildcats took the lead back midway through the second quarter at 21:56 when Tasmin Cookman stole the ball inside the circle and slid it across to Glidden, who then fired it home in front of the cage.
The 'Cats extended the lead to 3-1 at 25:22 with Poulakis' second goal of the game. She dribbled into the circle on the right wing from the sideline through the defenders and scooped the ball into the top-left portion of the cage.

THIRD QUARTER

Cal outshot New Hampshire 7-1 and scored the lone goal of the quarter to close within 3-2.
The Golden Bears cut the lead in half at 35:37 off a corner. The initial shot was deflected by Claire Hind off the right post and then Caoimhe Bryne batted in the rebound.

FOURTH QUARTER

The 'Cats closed the last 15 minutes with two goals as they outshot the Golden Bears 7-4.
New Hampshire extended its lead to 4-2 off a corner at 48:32. Tamera Cookman scored on the direct shot on a rising shot inside the left post. The battery of senior Jaiden Wittel (Stroudsburg, Pa.) as the insert and Tasmin Cookman as the stick-stop set up the tally.
Poulakis scored her third goal of the game at 52:39. She picked up the ball in the center off the field and once again displayed her magnificent dribbling. Once she was in the circle, pulled the ball around the charging goalie and tapped a shot into the empty cage.
Cal pulled Jolly in favor of an extra field player with 1:41 remaining but did not record a shot the rest of the way.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

New Hampshire was outshot 21-19 overall and 12-11 in shots on goal.
Cal also had the 11-8 advantage in penalty corners.
The Golden Bears were credited with two defensive saves; UNH had one.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Poulakis' three goals brings her season total to nine.
She extended her goal and point streaks to three games with totals of six goals and three assists for 15 points in that span.
Poulakis is second in goals for UNH on the season and trails only Tasmin Cookman, who has 11.
Tasmin Cookman had two assists to bring her season total to eight.
She ranks first on UNH in assists and points (30).
Tasmin extended her assist and point streaks to four games with totals of five goals and five assists for 15 points in that span.
Tamera Cookman has a three-game point streak with two goals and an assists for a total of five points.
Glidden now has five goals and 10 points, both of which rank third on the team.
UNH has scored five goals all three games of the current win streak; the season high of five goals was established in August against Boston University.