The University of Maine women’s soccer team extended their unbeaten streak to four games to begin the 2024 regular season on Thursday evening, battling to a 0-0 tie with Merrimack College in non-conference action in the home opener at Mahaney Diamond in Orono.
After Maine only allowed two shots on goal through their first four contests, it was Merrimack who had a 5-2 edge on net through the first 55 minutes of action. Maine came alive and finished strong, although not breaking the deadlock the Black Bears had the final 11 shots on goal. The best chance came in the 86th minute when Anna Phillips off a corner kick opportunity had a point blank chance on Warriors goalie Lily Morgan, but Morgan was able to stop it and preserve a road tie for her team.
Maine had a 25-6 edge in attempted shots (13-5 on net), with seven of those on target coming from Luise Reinwald (four) and Abby Kraemer (three). The Black Bears also outchanced the Warriors 7-2 in corner kick opportunities. Jessica Kasacek had five saves, while Morgan stopped all 13 for Merrimack (1-3) out of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Association. The graduate student Kasacek, who only appeared in one career game in her four seasons at West Virginia before transferring to Orono, now has three shutouts and only has allowed one goal in her first four games with the Bears. Maine (2-0-2) is back on the road on Sunday at 1 p.m. in New Jersey when they take on Rutgers out of the Big 10.
