Sabrina Vaillancourt had a knack for scoring goals during her high school field hockey career. She finished with 70 to set a Nokomis record.

Fortunately for Husson University, Vaillancourt hasn’t lost that knack.

After scoring six goals as a freshman for the Eagles, Vaillancourt had 17 this season, leading Husson to an improbable North Atlantic Conference championship and a spot in the NCAA tournament.

“Goal-scoring is definitely something that some people come by pretty naturally,” Husson coach Jen Johnstone said. “Some people just have a natural presence in front of the cage.”

Husson entered the NAC tournament with an 8-8 record and was the No. 5 seed. The Eagles also had lost six of their previous seven games.

“We went in as the underdog,” Vaillancourt said. “We had a little downfall in the middle of the season, which made us all think, ‘We’re better than this.’ ”

But Vaillancourt herself was on a roll. She had scored eight goals in her last five games and would add a goal in each of the three conference tournament games.

“At the end of the season, I always come through for some reason,” she said. “I don’t know what it was. I just got in my groove.”

Husson was outshot 93-40 in the tournament but defeated the University of Maine at Farmington, Castleton State and St. Joseph’s — all on the road. The magic ran out in the NCAA first-round game this weekend, as Husson lost 7-0 to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“I just feel like we didn’t come to play,” Vaillancourt said. “A lot of us had nerves, so it showed.”

Vaillancourt wasn’t planning to go to Husson. In fact, she wasn’t planning to stay in Maine.

“But I did an overnight visit, and I didn’t like it,” she said.

Husson was a small school and close to home, so Vaillancourt went to Bangor. She is majoring in elementary education, but says she probably will switch to business.

“I wasn’t interested in the classes anymore,” she said.

Field hockey-wise, Vaillancourt doesn’t see a need for a big change, and neither does her coach. Vaillancourt’s goal is to keep enjoying the experience and get past the first round of the NCAA tournament, while Johnstone just wants her to keep getting better.

“One of the things my coach used to say to me at Maine, and I would say to Sabrina, is challenge her every year to improve her statistics,” Johnstone said. “She’s a very solid player. We’re very fortunate to have her here.”

Matt DiFilippo — 861-9243
mdifilippo@centralmaine.com

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