Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine - Sophomore Avery Orszulak (Springfield, Mass.) poked home the game-winner off a pass from senior Emily Widdison (Greenfield, Mass.) with 4:19 gone in overtime to give third-seeded Nichols College a 4-3 win over second-seeded University of New England in a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Field Hockey Semifinal contest Thursday evening at the Big Blue Turf.
 
The Bison (13-7) – who were ousted from the conference tournament by the Nor'easters in each of the last two seasons – advance to meet top-seeded Endicott College (a 2-1 overtime winner against No. 4 Gordon College) on Saturday in the tournament final. Nichols last appeared in the finals in 2009, where it defeated New England College 4-1 to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
 
It was the third overtime game between the teams this season; UNE rallied to capture a 4-3 win at home on October 9, while Nichols secured a 2-1 double overtime triumph at home on October 23.
 
Widdison opened the scoring in the fourth minute with her league-leading 24th goal of the season. UNE responded less than four minutes later as junior Casey Clark (Bethlehem, N.H.) tipped in a drive off the stick of senior Laura Egounis (Boscawen, N.H.) to even things at 1-1.
 
Egounis moved the hosts in front in the 13th minute, blasting one into the right side-netting after receiving a pass from senior Emily Koehler (Pelham, N.H.). The Bison leveled the match at two in the 24th minute, when sophomore Jenn Townsend (Wethersfield, Conn.) put in a rebound at the left post.
Nichols held a slim 10-8 edge in shots through the first 35 minutes.
 
Nearing the midway point of the second half, Widdison collected a long rebound off her own shot and fed junior Amanda Broughton (Plymouth, Mass.) for her sixth goal of the season to put Nichols ahead 3-2. UNE drew even once again in the 59th minute, as Koehler tucked a penalty stroke just inside the right post.
 
Both sides had chances down the stretch and into the initial stages of overtime, however the respective defenses were up to the task until Orszulak slipped in the deciding marker.
 
Sophomore Molly Melanson (Simsbury, Conn.) recorded eight stops for Nichols, which finished with a 20-18 cushion in shot attempts. UNE sophomore Kaitlyn Warren (Boscawen, N.H.) turned in nine saves on the night. Egounis also had a defensive save in the first period.

Contributions from UNE Sports Information