The University of Maine’s women’s soccer team is not off to a great start. Through the team’s first five games, the Black Bears have yet to pick up a win, and have only scored a total of one goal.
Their season started on Feb. 21 when the Black Bears took to the road to play their first game at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts. Maine outshot Merrimack 8-5 in shots on goal, but sadly never hit the back of the net. Merrimack, however, was able to score twice. Merrimack was led by third-year midfielder Rebecca Harty who tallied a goal and an assist for the Warriors. The final score was 2-0 in favor of Merrimack.
Maine would then travel to Albany, New York to take on the University of Albany on February 27. Again the Black Bears were shut out, this time being out shot 8-2 in shots on target. Twin sisters Jada and Jasmine Colbert scored the goals for Albany. Jasmine Colbert, a third-year forward would score in the first half, and Jada Colbert, a third-year midfielder, would score late in the second. Albany went on to win this contest 2-0.
In Maine’s third game of their season they battled with their arch rivals: the University of New Hampshire Wildcats. It seemed as though the game would end in a 0-0 draw when neither team had scored in the first 90 minutes of regulation time. New Hampshire was heavily outshooting Maine 16-4 in shot attempts in the game. They finally got one to go in well into stoppage time of the second half. The goal came from University of New Hampshire fourth-year forward Francesca Picicci. This game was an especially tough defeat for the Black Bears, who were so close to picking up their first point in the standings, against their biggest rivals no less.
Maine finally got their first goal and point of the season in their fourth game of the spring. Both came in their home opener at the Mahaney Diamond in Orono on March 14. Maine tied the New Jersey Institute of Technology 1-1. NJIT scored in the first half to take a 1-0 lead. Maine’s first goal of the season did not come until the second half. Third-year midfielder Hannah Bamford was determined to even the score, and got a ball in the net in the 71st minute of the game, tying the game up 1-1. The scoreline would stand for the rest of the contest, the only game of the season that has not ended in a loss for the Black Bears so far.
Maine’s fifth game of the year was played on the road in Lowell, Massachusetts against the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Lowell went on to win the game 2-0, the fourth time Maine has been shutout in their five games. Lowell was led by first-year forward Marrissa Saucedo who produced a goal and an assist in the first half.
Maine’s record sits at 0-4-1. Maine has three games remaining in their season; a road game at Stony Brook University on March 27, a home game against the University of Vermont on April 4 and a home game against the University of Hartford on April 10. Hopefully the Black Bears can find their scoring ways and breakout of this offensive slump in this truncated season.
