Southern Maine Knocks Off Salem State 15-6

            SALEM, Mass. -- Senior Aliza Jordan (Gorham, Maine) and junior Megan Violette (Portland, Maine/Deering) combined for nine goals to lead the visiting University of Southern Maine women's lacrosse team to a 15-6 non-conference victory over Salem State University under the lights Thursday evening at Alumni Field.

            The win snapped a two-game losing skid for the Huskies, and improved their overall mark to 2-3 heading into Saturday's (12 p.m.) Little East Conference opener at Eastern Connecticut State University.  The Vikings dropped their fourth consecutive game to slide to 1-6 on the season.  The Vikings open conference play on Saturday (12 p.m.) at Worcester State University.

            Jordan led all scorers with five goals and one assist for a six-point night.  Violette added four goals and was credited with six caused turnovers.  Sophomore Alex Farley (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) contributed three goals, and freshman Lindsey Keenan (Naples, Maine/Lake Region) had a goal and two assists.  Senior Collen Fleming (South Portland, Maine) had three ground balls and four draw controls to lead the Huskies in those stat categories.

            Senior Hala Van Nostrand (Granby, Conn.) and sophomore Mariah Vaillancourt (Lewiston, Maine/Edward Little) split the goaltending chores for the Huskies.  Van Nostrand played the opening half recording one save to earn her second win of the season.  Vaillancourt played the final 30 minutes and did not register a save.

            Rookie Amanda Bradley (Peabody, Mass.) had two goals to lead the Vikings' offense.  Sophomores Tara McLaughlin (Woburn, Mass.), Kirsten Bradley (Peabody, Mass.) and Shayla Inglis (Lowell, Mass./Greater Lowell Tech) and junior Rose Sullivan (Charlestown, Mass./Matignon) had the other Viking goals.

            Salem State also split the goaltending duties with sophomore Gianna DeNisco (Peabody, Mass.) starting and playing the first half.  DeNisco made eight saves in the opening 30 minutes.  Classmate Trisha MacLean (Medford, Mass.) played the second stanza and had two saves.

            After Kirsten Bradley tied the game at 2-2 with 14.26 to play in opening half, it took the Huskies just 18 seconds to regain the advantage on a goal by Farley, set up by rookie Taylor Rinaldi (Freeport, Maine).  Farley's marker sparked a run of five USM goals in less than six minutes.  Violette, Jordan and freshman Evelyn Hinkley (West Gardiner, Maine/Gardiner Area) converted on free-position opportunities within a span of 3:38 to increase USM's lead to 6-2.  Jordan closed the run of Husky goals, converting a feed from Keenan.

            Leading 7-3 at the intermission, Southern Maine opened the second half with another five-goal run in less than eight minutes to balloon the lead to 12-3.  Violette had three goals in the run.

            Salem State closed to 12-5 on goals from Amanda Bradley and Inglis, but got no closer as Keenan scored and Jordan tacked on two more goals the latter stages of the second half to secure the win.

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