BIDDEFORD, Maine – Hannah Wood tied the game at one with 5:17 left in regulation, in the process giving Irini Stefanakos her program-best 43rd career assist, but Madi Robito scored just 1:57 into overtime as the University of New England handed the Keene State College field hockey team their first loss of the season, 2-1 in overtime on Saturday at Blue Bolt Field.

The Owls (9-1) have not won in four tries at that venue, and because of it, their program-best start of nine consecutive wins was snapped.  UNE, who had lost five of six, improved to 4-4 at home and 3-2 in games decided by one goal on the season.  KSC has also never beaten the Nor'easters in consecutive tries, which they were bidding to do after a 1-0 win last year at home.

It had the makings of a low-scoring game once again right from the start, as neither team scored in a first half that featured just 12 shots combined.  UNE had the first threats, but Owls goalie Clara Gorman made a pair of stops less than two minutes in.  The Nor'easters had another flurry late in the first quarter, bit fired a pair of shots wide.  Dawn DeWeese-Moss stopped a shot from Meghan Daileanes in the 14th minute, KSC's first on target, and made another stop late in the second to keep it a scoreless game at halftime.  The Owls had a corner with a little over a minute to go in the half and generated a pair of chances, but DeWeese-Moss denied Alessandra Vidal and then seconds later Grace Bazin shot high.

The scoring ice was broken with two minutes to go in the third quarter (42 minutes in overall) thanks to a UNE corner, as Gianna Korisianos began the play before Makena Valentine found Laney LeBlanc seconds later to put the home team ahead.  It seemed that tally might be enough, particularly when defender Micaela Jacobs prevented another Vidal bid from going in only 1:49 into the fourth and when DeWeese-Moss denied Stefanakos with less than six minutes to go.  However, the Owls used their third corner of the fourth quarter to cash in with the equalizer with 5:17 left in regulation.  Murray made the insert, which 11 seconds later turned into a momentous occasion for Stefanakos, as she found Hannah Wood to tie it at one.  The helper, her 11th of the season, gave her 43 on her career, surpassing Erin Dallas' career record 42 from 2007 through 2009.

The teams swapped chances down the stretch, with Olivia Dwyer's shot getting blocked in the 57th minute before Bazin shot wide with 20 seconds to go in what could have been a game-winner against her former team.  KSC staved off a corner chance for the Nor'easters with no time left in regulation to force the extra session.  However, overtime was all UNE, as they had a pair of opportunities and made good on the second.  After Gorman stopped Lily Clough just 22 seconds in, the Nor'easters were given a corner at the 61:46 mark and scored when Valentine set up Madi Robito 11 seconds later.

Keene State was limited to just one goal at Blue Bolt Field for the third time in four games in series history.

"It was a fast-paced game.  Overall, they outplayed us but we came from behind to force overtime, which was a positive," said KSC head coach Amy Watson.  "We made them earn the win."

The Owls will return to action on Wednesday, October 2 when they travel to Endicott College (6-3) for a 7:00 p.m. start.  The Gulls have won four straight, including a 1-0 road win over UNE on September 21.  The Nor'easters visit Nichols College (2-8, 0-2 CNE) for a league game next Saturday (October 5) at 12:00 p.m.