Pratt Propels 'Cats Past Merrimack on Senior Day

Sunday, October 27

Durham, N.H.

1 PM

University of New Hampshire

(9-8)

Merrimack

(0-15)

Merrimack

New Hampshire

Photo by: Katie Sheridan

10/27/2024 4:50:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score Photo Gallery

DURHAM, N.H. – Senior captain Ella Pratt (Denver, Colorado) scored a career-high two goals and recorded an assist to lead the University of New Hampshire field hockey team past Merrimack College, 8-0, on Senior Day at Memorial Field.

Freshman Faye Meijer (Purmerend, Netherlands) recorded two goals and two assists while junior captain Tasmin Cookman (London, England) also scored twice. Junior captain Nicole Poulakis (Ajax, Ontario) as well as sophomore Kathelijne Knuttel (Groningen, Netherlands) scored UNH's other goals. Knuttel also had an assist.

The Wildcats recorded their third consecutive shutout and allowed only one shot on goal. Starting goalie Abby Johnson (Walpole, Mass.) was credited with one save in 30 minutes. Classmate Kerigan Ross (Baltimore, Md.) played the second half and did not face a shot on goal.

Merrimack goalie Isabelle Gardiner stopped 29 shots and Kendall O'Brien was credited with a defensive save.

UNH improves to 9-8 overall with its third consecutive win while Merrimack is now 0-15.

Up Next

The 'Cats travel to the UMaine Field Hockey Complex in Orono, Maine on Nov. 1 (3 p.m.) to close the regular season against Maine in the annual Border Battle presented by Buffalo Wild Wings.
UNH has secured the No. 2 seed of the upcoming America East Championships, which will be played Nov. 7-10 at UAlbany.

First Quarter

Pratt inserted a short corner to Knuttel and she ripped a shot into the cage at 2:48 to open the scoring.
The roles were reversed on another corner as Knuttel found Pratt at the left doorstep to make it 2-0 at14:41. and to set the tone for the rest of the contest.

Second Quarter

UNH continued to control play in the second quarter as Meijer's shot on a penalty corner caromed off the right post at 16:38 and then Cookman's rising reverse-stick shot ricocheted off the left post at 18:03.
Cookman scored an unassisted goal as she entered the circle on the left side and maneuvered to the middle to push the Wildcat lead to 3-0 at 22:27.
Carly Warms (Chicago Illinois) had a great with three minutes remaining in the quarter, but it was narrowly deflected away by Gardiner to keep the score 3-0.

Third Quarter

Meijer extended the advantage to 4-0 at 33:58 when she blasted a low shot from the top of the circle into the cage.
Pratt found the cage for the second time to give the 'Cats a 5-0 lead at 40:39. On a corner, Meijer pulled the ball to the top-right side. Her diagonal strike through traffic was stopped be Pratt in front of the cage on the left side and she tapped the ball across the goal line.
UNH found the net for the third time in the quarter when Poulakis scored at 43:42. Pratt inserted a short corner to Meijer, whose low hit into the middle of the circle was redirected in by Poulakis for a 6-0 lead.

Fourth Quarter

UNH started off the quarter hot when Meijer scored off her own rebound to give the 'Cats a 7-0 lead 19 seconds into the quarter.
Cookman closed the scoring at 50:08 to put UNH up 8-0. Her blast from the top-right of the circle toward the far post deflected off a defender's stick into the cage.

UNH Notebook

UNH has shut out each of the last three opponents and the 'Cats have a total of five shutouts this season.
Johnson and Ross have combined to blank the opponent two of the last three games.
Johnson extended her shutout streak to 149 minutes, 26 seconds.
Pratt's five points are a career high.
Meijer's two goals and six points are both personal bests; this was also her second career multiple-assist game.
Knuttel has a three-game goal scoring streak and has scored in 12 of 17 games this season.
Sunday marked the fifth time this season (and sixth career) Knuttel factored in multiple goals.
Cookman also extended her goal streak to three games, and she has scored a goal in eight of the last nine games.
Cookman has three multiple-goal games this season and 12 career.
Poulakis has a goal in seven of the last nine games.