Box Score BIDDEFORD, Maine (March 28, 2025) – The Western New England women's lacrosse team fell on the road in Conference of New England action on Friday night from Blue Bolt Field on the campus of the University of New England, coming up with a 17-6 loss.
Records:
- Western New England: 2-5, 1-1 CNE
- University of New England: 3-6, 1-1 CNE
How it Happened:
The Nor'easters wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the opening minute of the game when Molly Henderson beat WNE's starting goalkeeper
Emily Picolla, taking a 1-0 lead early. The Golden Bears would win the ensuing draw control and stormed down the field to tie the game just 49 seconds after the UNE opening goal when
Lina Eves picked up the tally for the Golden Bears to tie the game at one.
Abbey Francis would have a chance to put the Golden Bears ahead, but her free position chance would sail just by the post. UNE would capitalize on their first free position shot and picked up a 2-1 lead when Sydney Balotin picked up the goal for the Nor'easters. UNE would add to their lead with 4:43 to play, taking advantage of a turnover by the Golden Bears and taking a two-goal lead with a shot from Morgan White. UNE's Balotin picked up UNE's fourth goal of the quarter to take a 4-1 lead. WNE would respond with a much-needed tally with 12 seconds left in the first quarter as
Lina Eves found the back of the net for the second time in the game which ended the first quarter in favor of the Nor'easters, 4-2. UNE outshot the Golden Bears 7-6.
Emily Picolla made one save in the frame.
As they did in the first quarter, UNE would score quickly again in the second quarter, but this time, sparked a streak of five straight goals with no answer from the Golden Bears in the quarter, who would be shut out by the Nor'easters defense. Morgan White continued to find the back of the net for UNE, giving the Nor'easters a 5-2 lead. With 11:11 left in the quarter, Ella Cloutier picked up her first goal of the game for UNE, giving the Nor'easters a 6-2 lead. The Nor'easters continued to take it to the Golden Bears, scoring three goals in three minutes, which expanded their lead to 9-2, a lead they would take into the halftime break. Western New England mustered just three shots in the second quarter overall.
The Nor'easters continued their scoring run to begin the third quarter as Molly Henderson had her second goal of the night that gave UNE a 10-2 lead.
Ella Henry would break the UNE streak of goals with 9:42 left in the third quarter, scoring a free position goal to put the Golden Bears back on the scoreboard, trailing 10-3. The Golden Bears would carry the ball for much of the next four minutes following the goal from Henry but would not be able to find the back of the net. UNE responded with a goal with 5:10 to play and another would come just over a minute later as the Nor'easters began to pull away for good on WNE.
Lyndsey Bunnell picked up WNE's fourth goal of the game with 1:24 left to play in the third quarter, one of two goals the Golden Bears would pick up in the frame. WNE outshot UNE 8-5 in the third while UNE's Jenna Trafford made three saves to keep the Golden Bears at bay.
Ella Henry found the back of the net for the second time in the game just 1:19 into the fourth quarter, which gave the Golden Bears some life heading into the final 13 minutes of the game, but that would quickly be thwarted by a goal less than a minute later from the Nor'easters, who took an eight-goal lead again, 13-5. UNE took away any momentum the Golden Bears had and scored the next three goals quickly to take a commanding 16-5 lead. The Golden Bears would drop the Conference of New England contest in the end, falling by a final score of 17-6.
Inside the Lines:
- Western New England would drop the CNE contest to the Nor'easters for the first time in five games overall.
- UNE outshot the Golden Bears 28-22 in the game. UNE picked up 18 ground balls to Western New England's 14. WNE turned the ball over just 15 times compares to UNE's 21, but UNE would dominate the draw control, going 17/26 overall.
- Offensively, Lina Eves led Western New England with three goals in the game. WNE did not pick up an assist on their six goals.
- Ella Henry scored two goals on four shots on goal and won two draw controls for the Golden Bears.
- Emily Picolla made three saves for WNE.
Up Next on the Schedule:
- After Sunday's originally scheduled game at Maine Maritime has been canceled, the Golden Bears will next play host to the newest member of the Conference of New England, the Rams of Suffolk University on Tuesday, April 1 at 4:00 PM.
