The University of Maine’s field hockey team had lost its regular season game to arch-rival New Hampshire 6-0 and got outshot 16-2. It was one of the most lopsided conference losses in a long time.
But the sixth-seeded Black Bears avenged that loss Thursday as senior center back Poppy Lambert’s goal 8:07 into overtime gave the Black Bears a stunning 3-2 win over the third-seeded Wildcats in an America East quarterfinal game at Lowell, Mass.
UMaine, 8-11 overall, will take on second seed Albany, 12-5, in Friday’s 3 p.m. semifinal.
Albany beat UMaine 3-1 in Albany in their regular season game.
Albany and top seed UMass Lowell received first-round byes. UMass Lowell will face fourth seed California at noon.
UNH wound up 12-7.
Lambert’s goal was her sixth of the season and came off a penalty corner.
Mallory Mackesy controlled the ball on the right side before slipping it to Lambert in the middle of the circle and her blast beat UNH goalie Jemma Woods.
Lambert scored off a corner to open the scoring as she converted an Eloise Penty pass. Madisyn Hartley also picked up an assist.
Kathelijne Knuttel equalized for UNH with an unassisted tally 7:19 later.
Kate Richardson regained the lead for UMaine in the third quarter when she scored off a breakaway for her third of the season.
But UNH’s Nicole Poulakis forced the overtime by finding the cage for the 14th time this season with 6:30 remaining in regulation.
Freshman Jayde Temby made eight saves for UNH and Woods finished with five.
UNH attempted 15 shots to UMaine’s 11 and had 10 shots on goal to UMaine’s nine.
