BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England women's soccer team received goals from five different players  -- including four in the second half -- on its way to a 5-1 non-conference win over Saint Joseph's College in a mutual opener played Tuesday evening (Sept. 1) at Barbara J. Hazard Field.

Senior Kayla Hamel (Lewiston, Maine) tallied the lone goal of the first half, picking up a loose ball at the top of the box and drilling a shot into the net. Junior Devon Wolfenden (East Longmeadow, Mass.) was credited with an assist on the play in the 25th minute.

The Nor'easters took that 1-0 advantage into intermission despite leading 13-1 shots over the opening 45 minutes.

UNE doubled its lead just 3:32 into the second half. Junior Jessica Meader (Scarborough, Maine) sent a beautiful cross from the left flank into the front of the goal mouth, where senior Jackie Dickerson (Windham, N.H.) re-directed it with her body into the goal. Wolfenden started the scoring bid and was awarded a secondary assist.

The Nor'easters then scored three times over a span of 11:25 to put the match away. Sophomore Becca Murphy (Durham, N.H.) tallied in the 71st minute, junior Anna Michaud (Hampden, Maine) in the 80th, and first-year Miracle Trimble (West Bath, Maine) completed UNE's scoring with 8:25 on the clock. Rookie Taylor Usko (Sunapee, N.H.) set-up Murphy's goal, and Michaud added a helper on Trimble's.

Senior Hannah LeBlanc (Andover, Mass.) prevented the Monks from getting shut out in the final minute, converting a low shot from the top of the box just inside the left post off a pass from first-year Haley DaGraca (Saco, Maine).

Junior goalkeeper Brielle Robinson (Monson, Mass.) earned the victory with two saves over the opening 79:09 for UNE. Rookie Emily Ashman (Madison, Conn.) played the final 10:51 in goal for the Nor'easters, who finished with a 27-11 advantage in shots.

St. Joe's sophomore Brooke Troup (East Bridgewater, Mass.) stopped eight shots in 70:10 of action before giving way to senior Michelle Cunha (Enfield, Conn.), who recorded three saves.

Both teams return to action this weekend. The Monks face Newbury College (at Husson University) on Saturday at 1:30 p.m., and UNE plays at UMaine Farmington on Sunday at 2 p.m.

COURTESY OF UNE SPORTS INFORMATION

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• With the loss, Saint Joseph's falls to 15-12-1 (.556) in opening-day contests. UNE defeated SJC, 4-1, in the Monks' 2014 season-opener (8/29).
• Despite the loss, St. Joe's owns a 13-10-3 (.565) overall record versus University of New England, a side that has now defeated the Royal Blue in three-consecutive meetings dating back to the 2013 season.
• For LeBlanc, the goal scored in tonight's setback is the 14th of her NCAA career, the highest total achieved by any current player.
• Seven players made their collegiate debut in the opener, including senior keeper Michelle Cunha (Enfield, Conn.), who made three saves in 20 minutes of mop-up duty, and DeGraca, who led the team with four shots in the losing effort.

UP NEXT

• The Monks are set to play a pair of games in the Husson University Tournament this weekend, starting with a contest versus Newbury College on Saturday. The Monks have never before played the Nighthawks, who suffered a 6-0 defeat at the hands of Emerson College in their season-opener earlier today. 
• Overall, Saint Joseph's owns a 22-7 (.759) record against Newbury, an institution the Monks last faced on the hardwood in 2008 when the SJC women's basketball team toppled the Nighthawks by a 101-64 margin (1/8/08). Previously, the SJC men's and women's basketball teams, the men's soccer side, and the softball and volleyball programs have played against Newbury, which featured a women's soccer program that went 4-11-1 overall and 3-5-1 in New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) a year ago. 

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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 474-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.