GORHAM, Maine – The Southern Maine Huskies jumped out to an early lead and went on to defeat the women's ice hockey team for the first time in program history with a 6-3 Tuesday night showing.

The Polar Bears drop to 7-3-2 on the season, while the Huskies improve to 4-9-1. The six goals scored were a season high for the Huskies, and the most since they posted half a dozen against New England College on November 5, 2013.  The multiple-goal games were the first of their careers for Ally Vanidestine and Lynn Kozlowski.

USM grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first period on an unassisted goal by Chelsea Boucher and a short-handed tally by Vanidestine. Bowdoin turned up the intensity in the middle period and was rewarded when Marne Gallant scored from the high slot.  Bowdoin outshot USM 15-5 in the period.

The Huskies scored twice in a 27-second span to increase their margin to 4-1.  Kozlowski scored a power-play goal at 7:06 from Katie Couture and Boucher.  Vanidestine scored her second knocking in the rebound of a shot from Kaleigh Heath. Bowdoin got one back at 12:22 when Rachel Kennedy scored her sixth of the season from just outside the left side of the cage.  Julia Pearl restored the Huskies' three-goal edge when she slipped a shot inside the near post on Beth Findley.

Maddie Baird scored a power-play goal for Bowdoin at 16:22 from Kennedy and Ariana Bourque before Kozlowski closed the scoring with an unassisted empty-net, short-handed tally at 17:53.

Findley drew the start in goal for the Polar Bears and had 12 saves before being giving way to Lan Crofton who made two stops. Liz Bergstrom made 32 saves in net for the Huskies.

Bowdoin looks to return to the win column with a pair of NESCAC matchups at Wesleyan this weekend. The Polar Bears take the ice for a 7:00 p.m. Friday game against the Cardinals.