What a Difference a Week Makes

Last weekend was a bad one. It was filled with wind, rain, and the most bothersome of them all, losses. Both the Men's and Women's Lacrosse team fell, and the Softball team lost twice at home. But it was proved once again that time fixes everything. Okay, maybe not everything, but it sure helps.
All three spring sports teams earned their way to The Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament. This brings the total to twelve teams from UNE to make the dance in their respective sport.
The Men's and Women's Lacrosse team punched their ticket to the extended season on Saturday, as both teams toppled Nichols College. The Women will be faced with a rematch from last year's tournament, where they fell to Roger Williams 12-10. Roger Williams is the second-seeded team in the tournament, while UNE is the seventh seed.
The victory for the Men set some history, as it is the first time in program history to play in the playoffs. The Softball team split against Roger Williams on Saturday, claiming the sixth seed, and having to play in a play-in game against Nichols today in Biddeford.
The Women's Lacrosse team capped their weekend with an 11-6 victory. The Nor'easters hopped out to a 3-0 start and never looked back. Senior Amanda Barker lead the offense with four goals and an assist, while junior Kate McCarter finished with two and one. Nichols brought the deficit back to one goal five times, but UNE always answered with a goal of their own, including four unanswered in the final 18 minutes. Junior goalie, Tara Geraghty made ten saves four the Nor'easters.
UNE will now prepare for a road tournament game, traveling to Roger Williams tomorrow. RWU crushed UNE just ten days ago with a 21-9 victory, outscoring the Nor'easters 8-1 in the second half of that game. The blue and white will be seeking revenge for that game, along with last year's tournament loss, which ended UNE's season.
For the Men, it was do-or-die on Saturday against Nichols, and showed up to play when it counted. UNE peppered the net all game long, forcing Nichols goalie, Scott Gray, to make 24 stops. The Nor'easters out-shot the Bison 29-11 in the first half, and kept firing, out-shooting Nichols 55-33 for the game. UNE flat out wanted it more; out-shooting, out-hustling, and out-hitting the Bison, the Nor'easters earned this birth to the tournament. Luke Difiore had three goals and an assist, while Dan Leyden and Mike Pennachio each had two and one to lead the offense.
Their reward for making the tournament: a match up with number one seeded Western New England College. WNEC is the 12th nationally ranked team in the country, and they manhandled UNE earlier this year. The Golden Bears smoked UNE 18-3 three weeks ago, but UNE has been playing a lot better lacrosse since then, and will have the drive to shake up things in the TCCC.
The Softball team reached the twenty-win plateau with a double-header sweep of Anna Maria College on Friday, and solidified their sixth seed for the tournament on Saturday. After dropping the opening game against Roger Williams, UNE came back to win the nightcap, 8-2. Freshman pitcher Erin Lyons twirled a gem in the second game, going the distance and striking out six, while not allowing any earned runs. Senior Ashley Depasquale and first-year Megan Johnson each had two hits and knocked in two runs for the Nor'easters.
UNE will host Nichols College this afternoon in the play-in round at 4pm. Nichols (15-22, 13-11) swept UNE in a double-header earlier this year, 7-5 and 6-1. That was during a stretch of four games in five days for UNE, where they were playing sub par ball, and will seek revenge today.


Good Luck in the Tourney!