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The University of Maine field hockey team fell to Vermont 2-1 on a dreary Friday afternoon in Orono. The Black Bears snagged the early lead but couldn’t hold off the Catamounts in the second half. Maine dropped to 4-11 overall, and Vermont improved to 11-5.
Coming into the game, Maine knew they were facing a tough opponent. Vermont came in with a strong record, and a fast start would be necessary to set the tempo. Early on, the teams traded attacks, but their respective defenses held strong and prevented an overabundance of shots.
While most of the game had been played in the middle of the field, Maine finally broke through at the 21:23 mark. The team mounted an attack up the middle by linking passes together and Nicole Emery took a shot from the outside at the charging Vermont goalie. The ball deflected past her and, after a brief scramble in front of the net, Brooke Anderson knocked it in to give Maine a 1-0 lead.
Striking first gave the Black Bears a boost of confidence and it helped them close out the half with the lead. Vermont had several opportunities near the end of the half, but could not capitalize. With just under two minutes remaining, UMaine senior goaltender Rebecca Giroux made a huge save off of a vicious Vermont shot. At the halftime horn, Vermont had out-shot Maine 5-3 but had nothing on the scoreboard to show for it.
Coming out of the break, the Catamounts didn’t waste much time in drawing even. At the 42:24 mark, a defensive miscue allowed Vermont’s Danielle Collins to steal the ball about 30 yards from the net. Giroux came out to challenge the breakaway, but Collins was able to push the ball by her and into the net at a tough angle right before the end line.
Just over five minutes later, Vermont was able to knock in the go-ahead goal and eventual game-winner. Maine was caught on their heels in an odd-man rush, and Vermont’s Collins was able to cross the ball to the middle where Kelly McClintock buried it in the back of the goal.
Maine took a timeout to regroup. For most of the rest of the half, the Black Bear defense was rock solid, preventing any further Vermont scoring opportunities. Maine was able to apply major pressure in the final minutes, but was unable to get shots on net, as Vermont ended the game with an 11-5 advantage in the shot department.
While the Black Bears were unable to emerge with a victory, it didn’t take away from the pre-game honoring of five UMaine seniors. Before the last home game of their careers, Giroux, Kristen Healy, Christie Mosley, Erin Reusch and Amy Zdrojesky were honored along with their parents in a ceremony. Their contributions to the team over the years will certainly be missed next season.
The Black Bears will travel to Fairfield Saturday for the last stop on their schedule.
Bangor Daily News