ORONO – The College of Maine discipline hockey staff is off to its finest begin because it gained its first eight video games in 2018.
The Black Bears obtained a first-half penalty stroke aim from fifth-year senior middle again Poppy Lambert and second-half targets from Kent State College transfers and graduate college students Victoria Tinghitella and Alexandra Sacker en path to a 3-1 victory over Hofstra on the UMaine discipline hockey complicated on Friday.
UMaine is now 3-1 after successful its third straight recreation whereas Hofstra fell to 0-2.
It was an evenly-played first half with few good scoring probabilities till the final 5 minutes of the half when the Black Bears took management and created a lot of alternatives.
One of many alternatives got here off a penalty nook and led to Lambert’s penalty stroke.
A UMaine shot that appeared headed for the again of the cage was stopped by the physique of a Hofstra participant, ensuing within the penalty stroke.
And Lambert calmly transformed with a rising shot over the fitting shoulder of the helpless Hofstra goalkeeper Pieke Roos.
It was her first of the season and 51st of her profession, six behind the varsity document owned by UMaine Sports activities Corridor of Famer Kelly Newton.
“I simply belief my intestine and hope for the perfect,” stated Lambert.
The Black Bears had two wonderful probabilities to increase the lead.
Saylor Kuefler had a redirection off an Olivia Geniti shot that pressured Roos into a pleasant reactive save along with her hand.
Seconds later, Kate Richardson threaded a move to the large open Kuefler in entrance of the cage however the move handcuffed her and she or he couldn’t faucet it into the open internet.
The Black Bears took that momentum into the second half and utterly dominated the third quarter, pinning the Pleasure in its personal finish and incomes 5 penalty corners to none for his or her friends.
They transformed off a nook 4:51 into the interval with a perfectly-executed passing sequence.
Geniti inserted the ball to graduate pupil fullback Sacker and she or he slid it throughout to Lambert.
Lambert whipped the ball throughout to the center of the penalty circle and ahead Tinghitella deflected it between Roos’ legs for her second of the season.
Roos made a lot of saves to maintain her staff in it as UMaine outshot Hofstra 7-1 within the third interval.
However, within the fourth quarter, Sacker notched her first of the season with a rocket from the highest of the circle off one other penalty nook to increase the result in 3-0.
Geniti inserted it and Tinghitella directed it over to Sacker.
“It was only a straight strike from the highest that discovered the underside nook,” stated Sacker.
The Black Bears struggled to attain targets off penalty corners a yr in the past however have been far more environment friendly thus far within the younger season and have unveiled a number of totally different choices..
“We’ve been working actually onerous (on penalty corners) within the preseason and, even final spring, to give you numerous inventive and dynamic choices simply so we are able to have numerous totally different individuals on the ball,” defined Lambert. “We’ve totally different appears to be like on totally different sides of the aim. We see what we are able to work with and transfer across the protection a bit extra.”
“We’re working onerous to seek out the fitting lanes to undergo. That’s a very powerful factor,” stated Sacker. “We’ve been discovering them and discovering the online, too.”
She added that having totally different choices on the penalty corners “creates numerous chaos for the protection.”
Teresa Karoff scored off Hofstra’s solely nook of the second half as she swatted dwelling a rebound with 3:46 left within the contest.
UMaine had a 14-8 edge in shot makes an attempt, 9-7 in photographs on aim and a 13-4 benefit in penalty corners together with 8-1 within the second half.
“We picked up velocity after the primary quarter and didn’t decelerate,” stated Sacker.
“It was an awesome dwelling opener,” stated Tinghitella.
UMaine goalkeeper Rozarie Mrazova and Roos every made six saves.
UMaine head coach Josette Babineau was happy with the win.
“Our second, third and fourth quarters had been stable,” stated Babineau. “We had been a bit disorganized within the first quarter.”
She stated she questioned if her staff could be a bit sluggish after a three-game journey to Indiana.
“We discovered our legs as the sport went on,” stated Babineau.
Hofstra first-year coach Hillary Fitts, who changed former UMaine standout and assistant coach Courtney Veinotte from Skowhegan, stated her staff had come out flat in a season-opening 3-0 loss to Outdated Dominion “however we got here out with a goal and actually wished it in the present day.
“The gamers needs to be very proud of how they performed. We simply have a few issues to wash up,” stated Fitts.
UMaine will host Central Michigan on Sunday at 1.
Mallory Mackesy, UMaine’s main scorer a yr in the past and a second staff All-America East choice, is now enjoying for Central Michigan after transferring.
Central Michigan and Hofstra will play on Saturday at 2 on the UMaine complicated.