BIDDEFORD — Vonde Saunders and Nicole Matarozzo combined for five goals to lead the University of New England to a 6-0 victory over Roger Williams University in a Commonwealth Coast Conference field hockey opener Wednesday at the Big Blue Turf.
The Nor’easters (4-1, 1-0 CCC) have now taken each of the five all-time meetings between the teams, by a 26-1 margin. The Hawks slip back to 2-4 overall (0-1 CCC) with the setback.
Shots were even at 3-3 through 12 minutes, with RWU finding the target each time and all of UNE’s either wide or blocked. Then in the 14th minute, it was the Nor’easter’s first accurate try that put the hosts on the board, as Matarozzo sent a ball into the middle and Saunders redirected it into the net.
Arundel native Olivia Madore found Matarozzo for a goal in the 19th minute, and Matarozzo took it 35 yards on a break through the defense for another tally just 54 seconds later to make it 3-0.
The lead grew to four in the 28th minute, as Saunders set up Brenna Sicard for her first score of the season. For UNE, Holly Smith recorded all of her six saves in the half to keep the shutout intact.
Saunders tacked on two more during the initial 11:04 of the second half to reach a hat trick.
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