The Maine field hockey team secured the #2 seed and a first round bye for the upcoming America East Tournament with a 2-1 shootout victory over Vermont in the regular season finale in Orono on Thursday afternoon.
The teams swapped goals off penalty corners in regulation. Martha Barratt off an assist from Saylor Kuefler and Eloise Penty in the first quarter scored for the Black Bears, while Gloria Allen had the Catamounts answer in the third. The game went scoreless from that point forward and through a 15 minute overtime period, sending it to the shootout. Penty, the fifth shooter for Maine, would score to end it after both teams had scored three times through the first four shooters. Ila Gunner made two saves in the Vermont loss, as the Catamounts (11-5, 2-3 America East) will be the #5 seed in the postseason. Freshman Annabel Halkes was superb in net for Maine with 10 saves, as the Black Bears (8-8, 3-2) automatically advance to the semifinals. Maine will host either #6 Bryant or #3 Bryant next Tuesday. This is the ninth straight year they’ll make an appearance in at least the semifinal round. Below is the full America East Tournament schedule-
Sunday, November 1st Quarterfinals
#5 Vermont at #4 UNH- 12 p.m.
#6 Bryant at #3 Albany- 1 p.m.
Tuesday, November 3rd Semifinals
4/5 seed at #1 UMass-Lowell- 1 p.m.
3/6 seed at #2 Maine- 3 p.m.
Friday, November 6th Championship
At highest remaining seed- Time to be announced
Photo is from UMaine Athletics from a game earlier this season
