BIDDEFORD, Maine (September 10, 2022) – After a 1-0 shutout victory at home over Roanoke College last weekend, the Denison University field hockey team suffered its first setback of the season, falling 3-2 at the University of New England on the blue turf at Blue Bolt Field.

In what was the first ever meeting between Denison (1-1) and New England (1-2), the Big Red drew first blood with the second goal of the season by Madeleine Hunt assisted by Abigail Hano in the final minute of the first quarter.

Unfortunately, after the tying goal by New England in the second quarter, a pair of the goals by the Nor'easters in the third quarter put the Big Red behind two goals heading into the fourth.

Denison was held to without a shot or a penalty corner in the middle quarters while New England had four penalty corners, two of which led to goals in the third quarter, and had seven shots during that time, all of which were on goal and required Big Red goalkeeper Athena Joannou to make three saves in the second quarter.

Additionally, a defensive save by Helen Breen helped Denison withstand a flurry of the three shots in the 23rd minute by New England and helped keep the score even at halftime.

Joannou made three more saves in the fourth quarter to try and keep Denison in it, and Grace Lock would make it a one-goal game with a goal in the 50th minute. However, the potential tying shots by Lock in the 57th minute and by Katherine Flanagan in the 59th minute were blocked and saved, respectively, by the New England defense.

In the first and fourth quarter, Denison outshot New England 9-6 and had seven penalty corners compared to one for the Nor'easters, but the Big Red were unable to make their chances count the way New England did in the middle quarters.

Kristin Kelley, Lock and Hunt led the Big Red with two shots apiece while Joannou tied her career-best with seven saves.

The second of back-to-back games on back-to-back days in Maine for the Big Red will see Denison square off against Bates College in Lewiston starting at 11 a.m. on Sunday, September 11. Like Saturday's matchup, Sunday will be the first ever meeting between the Big Red and the Bobcats.