BOX SCORE
West Hartford, Conn. - Junior striker Caitlin Alves gathers five points for the second-straight game leading her squad to its third-straight 3-0 victory, defeating the Maine Black Bears on Thursday night at Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium. The win for the Hawks improves the Hawks record to 12-0-2 on the season and a perfect 5-0 in conference play.
Alves provided the only offense in the first half, scoring in the 20th minute. Alves received a pass over the midfield from junior defender Shealagh Begley, dribbled deep into the box on a great run with defenders on either side of her. The score came on a shot from about three yards off the goal line in close quarters, eluding Maine (4-7-1, 1-4-0 America East) keeper Megan Price-Leibenzeder to the bottom right corner. Begley's assist is the third of the season for the West Hartford native.
Hawks keeper Erin Quinlan wasn't tested much in the first half, facing three total shots and recording a pair of saves, with both shots coming from well outside of the 18-yard box. The Hawks finished the first half with four shots, with Price-Leibenzeder collecting a single save off a long attempt from Alves.
The Hawks struck quick in the second half with an insurance goal just 20 seconds after the opening kick. Alves intercepted a pass between the Maine defenders which she pushed over to fifth-year senior Mary Beth Hamilton. Hamilton collected and found an opening, sending a hard shot from just outside the six-yard box to the right of Price-Leibenzeder for her sixth goal of the year. Alves assist means she has been a part of five-straight scoring attempts after finishing with five points on two goals and an assist in the Hawks last outing, a 3-0 shutout of Stony Brook.
Alves collected two more points, for her second-straight five-point game, in the 63rd minute working with Hamilton and junior striker Amélia Pereira to give the Hawks a 3-0 cushion. Pereira used the back of her cleat to evade the Maine offense and find Hamilton just outside the left side of the left edge of the box. Hamilton found Alves at the edge of the six-yard box in the air, which Alves sent home with a header as Price-Leibenzeder tried to recover from the cross.
Just over five minutes after the Hawks last score, Carolyne Nellis had the first of two quality looks at breaking the shutout for Maine. Nellis took a shot from the right corner of the six-yard box, which Quinlan easily protected. The Black Bears would look to strike 133 seconds later when Lisa Birjman would take a direct kick from about two feet outside the 18-yard box. Birjman would try a chip shot over the Hawks wall but Quinlan made a leaping stop, knocking the attempt down and securing the ball, resetting her defense.
Quinlan completed her 11th shutout of the season with five total saves, facing six shots from the Black Bears. Hartford would take seven shots in the game, with Price-Leibenzeder collecting just one save.
The Hawks will play their final regular season home game on Sunday (October 16) when they welcome the Vermont Catamounts to Alumni Stadium. The Hawks and Catamounts are scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. first kick. Prior to the game, the Hawks will honor their senior class of Lauren Brodeur, Michele DeSanti, Nicole Weil, Amanda Lo Bello, Mary Beth Hamilton and Jenee King.
