GORHAM, ME – University of Southern Maine (5-4, 2-0 LEC) slipped past Saint Joseph's College (3-2, 1-0 NAC), 1-0, as a result of a 2-1 advantage in penalty strokes. Monks netminder Meaghan Johnson '12 (Portland, Maine/Cheverus) recorded 16 saves including eight in the pair of overtime periods.
The game between the in-state rivals stood at a 0-0 tie after 100 minutes of play- 70 regulation and two 15-minute overtime periods – and a penalty stroke-off was required to determine a winner as a result.
In penalty strokes, both teams converted their second attempts and stood at 1-1 through three strokes each, as Carley Denis '14 (Lewiston, Maine) found the back of the cage for the Monks and Kailey Bubier '13 (Auburn, Maine) slipped a shot past Johnson for the Huskies.
The Monks' fourth shot, taken by Brittany Locke '13 (Waterville, Maine), went wide of the cage and Southern Maine senior forward Whitney McDaniel (Livermore, Maine) converted her attempt for a 2-1 lead in strokes.
With the game on the line, USM keeper Kayla Kennedy '14 (Windham, Maine) was able to turn away the Monks' fifth shot, unleashed by Renee Leach '12 (Springvale, Maine), for the win.
The Huskies held commanding advantages in both shots (23-16) and penalty corners (21-12) en route to victory. Kennedy recorded 10 saves for the hosts.
Peyton Dostie '15 (Standish, Maine) led the Monks with four shots while Locke and Sarah Bartell '12 (Exeter, N.H.) both recorded three attempts in a losing effort. Melanie Allen '13 (Jackson, N.H.) recorded her first NCAA defensive save, a key stop in the last minute of the first overtime period, against the Huskies.
The Huskies have now won five of their last six contests and lost by two goals (4-2) to #4 Bowdoin College, the defending national champions, on Tuesday. St. Joe's, which defeated Southern Maine (4-1) for the first time in program history last year, falls to 1-15 in the history of the series with the Huskies with today's result.
Both teams will host conference opponents this coming Saturday in 12:00 PM starts. Saint Joseph's will face New England College, a newcomer to the North Atlantic Conference this fall, while USM is set to face Keene State College.
THANKS IN PART TO USM SPORTS INFORMATION
