The Maine Black Bears women’s soccer team stayed unbeaten through five games of their 2023 season on Thursday afternoon, battling to a 1-1 non-conference tie with Northeast Conference opponent Merrimack College at Martone-Mejail Field in North Andover, Massachusetts.
Merrimack (1-2-1) controlled the action in the first half, outshooting Maine 8-5 (7-3 on net), but Black Bears goalie Kira Kutzinski who has been hard to score on so far this season kept the game scoreless at the halftime break. Both teams had two shots on net in the second half, with each club scoring a goal. Abby Kraemer scored the Maine goal in the 51st minute, before Molly Murnane responded for the Warriors just four minutes later. Despite some decent chances after the goals, that is how the match would end.
Kutzinski made eight saves for Maine, as their record goes to 3-0-2. Abby Kraemer, who scored the Black Bears goal, had the most chances as well with three attempted shots on net. Lily Morgan played the first 59 minutes in goal for Merrimack with three saves, while Roo Sawyer had one save in the final 31 minutes of play. Murnane had four attempted shots on net, getting the lone Warriors tally. Maine is on the road again on Sunday when they travel to play another NEC foe in Sacred Heart University at 12 p.m.
Recap by Chris Lessner
