Another busy weekend of sports action for the UMaine teams both on the mens and womens side.
At Kingston, Rhode Island Saturday afternoon the Maine football team got a pair of touchdowns from wide receiver Micah Wright, and five interceptions from the defense to come away with their fourth straight win 28-21 over the Rhode Island Rams.
Dan Collins 43 yard strike to Wright with just 6:35 left in the game proved to be the game winner. Jason Matovu intercepted a Rams pass in the endzone in the closing seconds to seal the win. The Rams fell to 1-7 and 0-5 in CAA action. True freshman quarterback Jordan Vazzano led Rhode Island going 20-47 passing, 347 yards, two touchdowns, but a costly five interceptions.
Wright had seven catches for 97 yards on the day while Collins went 13-30 passing, 147 yards, and the two scores. Josh Mack led the running attack with 115 yards on 11 carries, including a 65 yard TD run on Maines first possession of the game. Christophe Mulumba Tshimanga led the defense with seven tackles, while Taji Lowe had six tackles, and Pat Ricard had his fourth sack of the season.
Maine is now 4-3 overall and 3-1 in the CAA. Maine will travel to William and Mary next Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff with the Tribe. Rhode Island also hits the road next Saturday for a 3:30 kickoff at James Madison.
At Oxford, Ohio Saturday night, the Maine Mens Ice Hockey team fell for the second time on the season to the Miami-Ohio Redhawks by a 5-0 score.
Maine took four penalties in the second period after a scoreless opening twenty minutes, and Miami was able to cash in. Anthony Louis scored at 3:42 of the middle period, and a pair of goals by Louis Delpedio made it 3-0 Redhawks after two. Two of the three tallies were on the powerplay.
Scott Dornbrock and Keifer Sherwood added third period goals to drop the Black Bears to 3-2-1 on the season as Miami improves to 2-1-2.
Freshman Ryan Larkin stopped all 33 Maine shots to earn the shutout. Rob McGovern would stop 28 of 32 shots for Maine, before being relieved in the third period by freshman Stephen Mundinger who was able to stop seven of eight shots on goal. Maine was 0 for 6 on the powerplay on the night while Miami was 2 for 8.
Maine returns to action next Friday and Saturday night at 7 p.m. in more non-conference action when they travel to Colgate. Miami will stay at home and host a two game series with Bowling Green.
On the womens side both the Maine Soccer and Field Hockey teams had home games Thursday, while the Field Hockey team also played on the road Friday afternoon.
On senior night Thursday evening the Maine Womens Soccer team fell in the season finale 2-1 to visiting Albany.
Vivien Beil scored in the 49th minute of the game to give Maine a 1-0 lead, but the Great Danes got a goal from Meghan Malone at the 58th minute, and a game winner in the 83rd minute by Meghan Cavanaugh to get the win.
Maine ends the regular season with a record of 7-8 overall and 3-5 in conference play. Maine finishes in fifth place in America East and will travel to Durham, NH Thursday night at 7 p.m. to face the UNH Wildcats in the America East Quartfinals. This is a rematch of the quarterfinals last year in Orono, won by Maine on penalty kicks.
At the Maine Field Hockey Complex, the Black Bears blanked visiting UMass-Lowell 3-0 Thursday, before losing on the road Friday afternoon 2-0 to Albany.
Libby Reidl scored twice for the Bears while Casey Crowley scored the other goal in the win over the Riverhawks.
Emma Cochran and Emily Corbett combined on the shutout, with the win credited to Corbett who went to 5-2 on the season.
On Friday afternoon, Albany received a first half goal from Molly Mariano and a second half tally from Dana Bozek to blank the visiting Black Bears and remain in first place in America East.
Danielle Aviani led all Bears with three shots on goal in a tightly contested defensive battle, as the two teams combined for 12 shots on goal.
UAlbany is now 11-5 on the season and 5-1 in America East ,while Maine is 11-6 and 4-2 in conference play. Maine returns home next Friday at 3 p.m. for senior day when they host UNH. Maine finishes the regular season next Sunday at 1 p.m. as they travel to Burlington to battle Vermont.
