Morin's OT game-winner wins it for Panthers

            GORHAM, Maine – Rookie forward Jackie Morin (Scarborough, Maine) knocked in the game-winning goal with 3:45 remaining in the first sudden death overtime period Wednesday afternoon to give the visiting Plymouth State University Panthers a 3-2, come-from-behind victory over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in Little East Conference field hockey action at Paula Hodgdon Field.

            The win stopped a two-game losing skid for the Panthers, and improved their record to 9-5 overall and 7-2 in conference play.  The Huskies dropped their fifth straight decision to slide to 5-12 overall and 3-6 in LEC games.

            Senior Kristina Conroy (Wakefield, Mass.), who scored the tying goal with 7:45 to play in regulation that forced overtime, centered the ball from the right side to Morin who got her stick to it and slip in a short shot out of a scramble in front of USM freshman goalie Kayla Kennedy (Windham, Maine).  The goal was the sixth of the season for Morin.

            Southern Maine, although badly outshot in the game, built a 2-0 lead on a first half goal by sophomore Kailey Bubier (Auburn, Maine) and a second half tally by junior Whitney McDaniel (Livermore, Maine).  Both goals were unassisted, and were the 10th of the season for each player.

            The Huskies' two-goal advantage lasted just over a minute until PSU junior Lauren Bergeron (New Hampton, N.H./Newfound) powered home her fifth goal of the season at 45:52.

            Kennedy, who finished the game with 15 saves, kept the Panthers at bay until there were less than eight minutes to go as Conroy found the net for her eight marker of the season.

            Plymouth State compiled a 31-5 advantage in shots (18-3 in shots on goal) and a 24-0 margin in penalty corners.  PSU sophomore goalie Hilary Lemelin (Milan, N.H./Berlin) recorded one save.

            Southern Maine faces Bridgewater State University on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) for a critical Little East Conference match.  Plymouth State hosts Worcester State University on Saturday (12:00 p.m.) in an LEC contest.

  (Courtesy of Southern Maine Sports Information) 

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