FARMINGTON — When Emma Martineau scored the University of Maine at Farmington’s first goal less than five minutes into the game, the red flags went up and the Beavers signaled that they had Thomas College’s number.
From there on in, the top-ranked Beavers (11-4) dominated on offense and had no problem rolling to a 4-0 victory over the No.4 Terriers (4-12) in an NAC East field hockey semifinal game on a blustery and cold Wednesday afternoon.
With the Terriers out of commission, UMF will host No. 2 Husson University (8-6), which beat Colby-Sawyer College, 5-3, in the NAC East Championship on Saturday in Farmington.
“We played really well. I think we came and set the tone really early in the game with a lot of pressure and then we had a little bit of a letdown, but we came right out in the second half really strong and I think the opening of each half was the key to our success today,” UMF coach Cyndi Pratt said. “I think they (Terriers) are a very strong team.
I think that (Thomas coach Andrea Thebarge) did a great job with them, getting them into the playoffs. They had a really big win against Castleton on Saturday to make the playoffs. They were fighting for their playoff lives. I think they are a good team. We just got the better of things today.”
Martineau’s unassisted goal started Thomas’s free-fall that lasted the entire game.
Nickyia Lovely gave the Beavers some breathing room going into the second half when she scored her unassisted goal at 33:36
But the Terriers also a handful of chances to score, but they lacked that finishing touch.
The Beavers didn’t take Thomas for granted and punched in two more goals late in the second half.
Emmah Spahr delivered UMF’s third goal via a Carly Raymond feed at 36:57. Jenessa Talarico topped off the Beavers’ lead when she scored on a Lovely assist.
“We had our chances — didn’t capitalize,” Thebarge said “You know we had a great run, but…. I think they (Beavers) did a great job. They hustled. They definitely outplayed us the whole game. They just worked a heck of a lot harder than we did.”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
