It was a great season for soccer up north for the University of Maine-Fort Kent Bengals. Both the men’s and women’s teams reached the USCAA Division I National Title game against the Bryant & Stratton-Syracuse Bobcats on Sunday in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
In the women’s game, Marina Nawa scored the lone goal of the contest at the 37th minute mark of the first half to lead the Bobcats (9-3-1) to the title. Nawa had three of the four shots on goal for Bryant & Stratton-Syracuse. Maria Gabriela Cordeiro stopped all five UMaine-Fort Kent shots in the shutout win. Isabel Kiledjian stopped one of two shots she faced in the first half, and Dominique Valadez had two saves on two shots as she played the second half for the Bengals as they finish their season with a record of 9-7-3. UMFK is a seven time champion of the tournament, and were the defending champions (2019). It was the first appearance for the Bobcats in the championship game.
In the men’s game, Bryant & Stratton-Syracuse capped off an unbeaten season in a shootout victory over UMFK. The teams went scoreless through regulation and two overtimes, forcing a best of five in penalty kicks. Luca Natale had the goal that made the difference, scoring as the fifth shooter for the Bobcats to end it by a score of 3-1. Adil Iggoute scored the PK goal for the Bengals, who end up 12-2-3. John Amoah stopped all three shots faced in regulation and two overtimes, but could only stop two of five in the shootout for UMFK. Babucarr Ceesay was also three of three on saves in regulation and overtime, and stopped three of four as well in the shootout format for Bryant & Stratton-Syracuse who finished at 11-0-2. That is back to back national crowns for the Bobcats men’s team, as they also won the last one that was played in 2019.
