The University of Maine Field Hockey and women’s soccer teams were both on the road in non-conference contests on Sunday afternoon. It ended up a split for the squads, as the field hockey team was ousted in overtime for a second straight day and the soccer team remained unbeaten after three games.
At the Gladchuk Field Hockey Complex in Amherst, Massachusetts, the hosts from UMass built a 2-0 lead after three quarters before Maine rallied in the fourth quarter to tie it 2-2 in the closing seconds and force overtime. Steph Gottwals would be the hero for the Minutemen, scoring her second goal of the game to send the Black Bears to their second consecutive overtime loss to start the season.
Gottwals scored her first of the day at 2:21 of the first quarter on a deflection off a penalty corner. Maine had some chances in the first half including a 7-3 advantage in corner opportunities, but couldn’t cash in. UMass (2-0) looked to be in control when Georgie McTear deeked around Black Bear goalie Mia Borley in the circle, and slammed into the cage late in the third to make it 2-0. The comeback started when Brooke Sulinski scored her first of the season with 5:09 left off a re-direct from Chloe Walton. Poppy Lambert forced the extra session when she tipped home a Cassandra Macarenhas shot off a corner with just nine seconds to go in regulation. The Minutemen pressured heavily in overtime and after three big saves right in front by Borley, Gottwals was able to scoop up a rebound and deposit high into the back of the net at 4:19 for the game winner.
UMass won the shots on net battle 10-6, and the corners ended up even at 9-9. Borley had seven saves in net for 0-2 Maine. Marlise van Tonder had four in the win for the Minutemen. The Black Bears will open up their home schedule on Friday when they welcome in Harvard for a 3 p.m. start.
At the Bulldog Soccer Field in Smithfield, Rhode Island, the Maine Black Bears women’s soccer continued their solid start to the season with a 1-0 victory over the Bryant Bulldogs.
The match was very evenly played, as both teams had six shots on net and seven corners kicks each. Delaney Labonte scored the lone goal at the 77:58 mark of the contest. The marker was the first of her career for the sophomore midfielder from York, Maine (York High School). Maine now improves to 2-0-1 on the season, while Bryant is 0-2.
Kara Kutzinski stopped all six shots in net for the shutout for Maine, while Jessica Rinaldi stopped five of six in the loss for Bryant. The Black Bears have only allowed one goal over their first three games, that was in the double overtime tie at Merrimack on Thursday. Maine is back home to host Quinnipiac next Sunday at 12 noon at Mahaney Diamond.
