'GORHAM, ME - Sophomore Kristina Richio (Portland, ME) scored both goals to lead the top-seeded Clark University Cougars to a 2-0 win over the fourth-seeded Keene State College Owls.in a semifinal game of the ECAC Division III New England Field Hockey Championship tournament Saturday afternoon at the Paula D. Hodgdon Field.

Richio gave the Cougars the only goal they would need converting a pass from sophomore Ashley Perez (Worcester, MA.) in the 15th minute of play.

The score reMEd that way until the 57th minute when Richio found the back of the cage again during a scramble in front of Keene State senior goalie Amy Carroll (Brunswick, ME).

Clark senior goalie Jesse Egan (Pepperell, MA.) stopped three shots, all in the first half, to post the shutout.  Carroll turned aside four shots for the Owls.  The Cougars had an 8-3 advantage in shots and a 10-3 edge in penalty corners.

Heading into the championship game with a shot at a 20-win season, Clark is now 19-3 overall.  Keene State concludes its season 15-9.

Junior back Lauren Weiner (Kensington, Md.) scored a goal and added an assist to lift the third-seeded Mount Holyoke College Lyons to a 2-1 triumph over the second-seeded University of Southern ME Huskies in the opening semifinal contest.  The championship game, scheduled for Sunday, has been postponed due to weather.  A makeup date and site will be announced.

In the opening game, Weiner set up the game-winning goal in the 48th minute of play, by collecting a loose ball in front of the Southern ME goal and feeding junior forward Krista Lindquist (Brunswick, ME), who slammed the ball past junior goalie Jessie Superchi (Campton, N.H.).

Southern ME had tied the affair at 1-1 moments before on senior back Jodie Eldridge's (Westbrook, ME) first career goal. Junior back Amy Ouellette (Jay, ME) redirected a centering pass to Eldridge, who deflected the ball into the net in the 45th minute.

The game reMEd scoreless until 45 seconds before the halftime break, when Weiner slapped a loose rebound into the open net. Superchi made a kick save on the initial shot, but as she turned to defend the goal, she lost her footing on the snow-soaked field and Weiner's shot bounced into the empty net.

The Lyons held the overall edge in play, outshooting the Huskies by a 14-5 margin, and building a 9-6 advantage in penalty corners. Superchi turned in a stellar performance, and recorded 11 saves, while Mount Holyoke senior keeper Elizabeth Wishart (Virginia Beach, Va.) stopped three of the four shots she faced.

With the win, Mount Holyoke improves to 18-4, and will  advance to tomorrow's championship game against top-seeded Clark University.  Southern ME concludes the year with a final mark of 15-8.