Poulakis' Hat Trick Powers UNH Past BU, 7-6

Sunday, September 28

Boston, Mass.

1 PM

University of New Hampshire

(4-4)

Boston U.

(4-5)

New Hampshire

Boston U.

Photo by: Alex Miller

9/28/2025 5:07:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

BOSTON – Senior captain Nicole Poulakis (Ajax, Ontario) scored three goals, including the game-winning goal with 2:02 remaining, to power the University of New Hampshire field hockey team to Sunday afternoon's 7-6 victory against Boston University at New Balance Field.

Junior captain Kathelijne Knuttel (Groningen, Netherlands) also factored in three UNH goals with one goal and two assists, and sophomore Faye Meijer (Purmerend, Netherlands) finished with a goal and assist.

Junior Louette Petiet (Hoofddorp, Netherlands) and freshman Emily Coughlin (Marshfield, Mass.) were the other Wildcats goal scorers.

Sophomore goalkeeper Abby Johnson (Walpole, Mass.) was credited with four saves and BU counterpart Sophie Ortyl stopped five shots on goal.

BU was led offensively by Caroline O'Brien and Nicole Lauro with two goals apiece. O'Brien also had an assist.

UNH won its second consecutive game to improve to 4-4 and BU is now 4-5.

UP NEXT

UNH returns to action and begins America East conference play Oct. 3 (1 p.m.) at the University of Vermont.

The Wildcats' next home game is Oct. 5 (1 p.m.) vs. Stonehill.

COACH'S QUIPS – UNH head coach Robin Balducci
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FIRST QUARTER

The teams combined to score five goals in the opening 15 minutes.
Lauro set the tone for the high-scoring quarter and game with a goal at 2:14 to give the Terriers a 1-0 lead.
Petiet, positioned near the left post, leveled the score, 1-1, at 5:06 when she one-timed the entry pass from Addison MacNeil (Brentwood, N.H.) into the cage.
Coughlin scored off a rebound to give UNH its first lead of the game, 2-1, at 9:27. Tasmin Cookman (London, England) initiated the scoring sequence by dribbling in from the right wing and firing two close-range shots stopped by Ortyl, but Coughlin was not denied off the second rebound.

Lauro struck again at 12:03 to tie the score, 2-2, and Maggie Driscoll scored 76 seconds later to put the home team back in front.

SECOND QUARTER

Poulakis scored the only goal in the second quarter to forge the third tie of the game, 3-3. MacNeil inserted a short corner to Knuttel, whose low blast was redirected inside the left post by Poulakis.

THIRD QUARTER

O'Brien put BU back in front, 4-3, at 33:54.
UNH responded with three consecutive goals to build the first two-goal lead of the game, 6-4.
Poulakis corralled a pass in the right corner and beat a pair of defenders along the endline, then lifted a shot across the goalmouth inside the far post at 34:18.
Meijer collected a pass from Knuttel at the top of the circle and, after one touch, hit a rising reverse-stick shot into the cage to give the 'Cats a 5-4 lead at 36:35.

That duo combined to extend the advantage to 6-4 at 41:15. Meijer dodged pas three defenders into the top-right of the circle and her centering pass down low was tipped into the cage on a diving effort by Knuttel.

FOURTH QUARTER

BU trimmed the deficit to one goal on O'Brien's tally at 46:21 and pulled even on Bella Bergner's goal at 53:38.
Poulakis scored her third goal of the game with 2:02 on the clock to break the tie and score what proved to be the game-winning tally.

Cookman surged past a defender at the 25 yard-line, entered the circle on the top left and continued toward the left post. She slipped a centering pass to the front of the cage, where Poulakis tapped the ball in for the score.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Poulakis matched her career high of three goals established Oct. 9, 2022 vs. Cal.
Knuttel matched her personal best of two assists; she established the mark Sept. 17, 2023 vs. UC Davis and tied it in this year's season opener vs. UConn.
Knuttel extended her goal streak to five games and point streak to six games, and she has tallied a point in 7 of 8 games this season. Knuttel has seven goals and four assists for 18 points during the point streak.
Poulakis has a three-game goal streak and she extended her point streak to five games with Sunday's hat trick. She has seven goals and four assists for 18 points during the streak.
On UNH's career leaderboard, Poulakis is #6 assists (25), #7 in points (113), and #8 in goals (44).
Cookman is #4 in points (121), is tied #4 in assists (27) and #6 in goals (47).
UNH is 4-1 the past five games.

The seven goals were the most scored by the Wildcats this season, and the six goals allowed were also a season high.

GAME NOTEBOOK

BU had the 19-18 edge in shots but New Hampshire had a 13-10 advantage in shots on goals.

Penalty corners were even 7-7,

Wildcats for Life returns Sept. 29–Oct. 10
UNH Athletics' annual fall fundraiser is just around the corner, supporting student-athletes across all programs. This year, your impact will go even further thanks to a $35,000 match! Stay tuned for how you can get involved and help fuel the success of our Wildcats.

UNH Renews Regional Rivalry at Boston U. (Sept. 28)

Saturday, September 27

Knuttel's Overtime Goal Lifts UNH Past Dartmouth, 3-2

Sunday, September 21

UNH Renews Intrastate Rivalry vs. Dartmouth on Alumni Day (Sept. 21)

Saturday, September 20

Johnson Records Career-High 14 Saves in Loss at #17 Rutgers

Friday, September 19

Next Event

Vermont

Oct 3 (Fri)

3 PM

History

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Full Schedule

Team Stats

NEW HAMP

BOSTON U

Goals

Shots

Shots on Goal

Saves

Corners

Offsides

Fouls

Scoring Plays

Nicole Lauro (3)

Assisted By: Caroline O'Brien

GOAL by Boston U. Nicole Lauro (FIRST GOAL), Assist by Caroline O'Brien, goal number 3 for season.

2:14

Louette Petiet

Assisted By: Addison MacNeil

GOAL by New Hampshire Louette Petiet, Assist by Addison MacNeil