The University of Maine field hockey and women’s soccer teams were back in action on Sunday afternoon. Black Bears field hockey hosted Holy Cross in non-conference play, while soccer was at UMBC trying to extend their win streak and stay unbeaten in America East.
At the Maine Field Hockey Complex in Orono- Olivia Geniti had a fourth quarter game winning goal, as Maine defeated Holy Cross out of the Patriot League 2-0.
The game was pretty even throughout on shots on goal 7-4 Black Bears and penalty corner opportunities 6-6, and stayed scoreless into the fourth quarter. Zoe Furber started the game winning play for Maine, dribbling into the circle and sending a pass to Geniti for a one-timer down low that was deposited into the back of the cage at 7:06. Furber picked up the assist on the second goal of the season by Geniti. Brynn Dzengelewski added another for good measure on a helper from Saylor Kuefler with just 29 seconds left to play, her first of the year.
Rozarie Mrazova recorded her second shutout of the season for Maine in goal making three saves. The Black Bears are now 9-5 overall. Mia McCloskey had two stops in the defeat for Holy Cross, as the Crusaders fall to 5-7. Maine has four games left in the regular season including two next weekend on the road, at Bryant University on Friday in America East action and Sunday in non-conference at Northeastern.
At Retrievers Soccer Park in Baltimore, Maryland- Abbey Thornton scored a game winner in the final seconds of the first half, as Maine would defeat UMBC 2-1. The victory already clinches a spot in the upcoming America East playoffs for the defending conference champion Black Bears.
Kristina Kelly opened the scoring in the 18th minute for Maine. Kelly fired one in just inside the left post from the edge of the circle straight away after a pass from Luise Reinwald. Rebecca Grisdale also picked up an assist. UMBC answered just over a minute later off a nice lead pass from Izzy Binko to Natasha Munro, who beat Black Bears goalie Jessica Kasacek. It was the fourth straight game with a goal for Munro. Julie Lossius would show some hustle twice at the end of the half for Maine as the clock was ticking down. Lossius took a corner kick with 10 seconds left, and after the ball was headed up in the air Lossius hustled again and rejoined the play and hammered a shot from the left of the net. Thornton was right in front of netminder Abbey Cowles, and deflected it in with her left foot to the top corner of the goal with just six-tenths of a second remaining in the period that turned out to be the game winner.
Kasacek didn’t record any saves in the Maine win, as the lone shot on her went into the goal. The Black Bears have now won seven games in a row, improving to 9-1-2 and 5-0 in America East. Cowles had four stops for UMBC, as the Retrievers fall to 5-8-1 and 1-3-1 in conference play. Maine who is currently the #1 seed has three games left in the regular season and will host Albany next Sunday at noon at Mahaney Diamond.
