MANSFIELD, Conn. – The Eastern Connecticut State University field hockey team got goals from five different players and sophomore goalie Maddie LaRusso (Enfield) made nine saves to gain her first career win in her first career start as the Warriors posted a 5-3 victory over the University of Southern Maine in a Little East Conference match Saturday afternoon at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex.

Coming off two straight one-goal losses, Eastern (3-2, 1-1 Little East) raced to a 4-1 lead on senior Brianna Passero's (Trumbull) third career goal 11 minutes into the second half before Southern Maine (4-4, 1-1 Little East) got two goals in a span of six minutes by sophomore Kaylie Andrews (Kittery, ME) to slice Eastern's lead to one, 4-3, with 8:50 left.

After the visitors pulled to within 4-3, Eastern did not allow another shot or penalty corner, the Warriors collecting the final five penalty corners and final five shots. Sophomore Alex Kallgren (Dudley, MA) finally provided an insurance goal when she netted her team-leading fifth with a rebound goal with 4:07 left after USM junior goalie Amanda Kasbohm had stopped consecutive shots by seniors Hannah Keiser (Danbury) and Laura Chicorka (Enfield).

Chicorka and junior Paige Schneider (East Lyme) had staked Eastern to a 2-0 lead nine minutes into play and after USM sophomore Aleia Ansin got one back for Southern Maine later in the half, Keiser (third goal of year) and Passero helped the Warriors move out to a 4-1 lead.  Chicorka had a hand in Eastern's first three goals, scoring the first and assisting on the second and third. Keiser also had two assists to go along with her goal.

Eastern outshot USM, 20-14, with Kasbohm matching LaRusso with nine saves.

Eastern hosts Babson College Tuesday at 4 p.m.