The University of Maine Women’s Soccer team is entering conference play this Sunday at 4-1-2 overall in the season so far. Back home at the Mahaney Diamond, the Black Bears face Binghamton as their America East home opener.
They finished out non-conference play by defeating Holy Cross on Sept. 15 in an exciting 1-0 game on the road. After scoring within the first two minutes, the Black Bears battled hard to secure the win against the Crusaders.
With most players returning after winning the America East Championship last season, Maine felt confident going into the Sept. 22 match at noon. They will also be holding a celebration in honor of winning the 2023 America East title before the match.
“We’ve had a couple games where the better teams have challenged us, which is a good thing before going into conference play,” said Liis Abbott, the associate head coach. “Now we know all of the things we can learn from and have the chance to fix.”
The Bears had an impressive start to the season with four consecutive wins, which marks the third consecutive year that they have been unbeaten in the first four games.
Maine is led by fourth year forward Abby Kraemer, a 2023 Second Team All-American and the 2023 America East Striker of the Year. Fourth year midfielder Lara Kirkby and third year forward Jordane Pinette are tied for the team lead with three goals each through seven games.
The America East Conference consists of nine women’s soccer teams stretching as far south as Maryland. This conference has always been known to be competitive and physical, making every game a battle.
Binghamton were the 2023 America East regular season champions. On Sept. 22, they entered conference play with a record of 3-3-2 overall. The past three matchups between the Bears and the Bearcats have resulted in ties, making each meeting a thrilling match.
“When there are bigger games on the line we really step up and I’m very excited to see where we are with our potential on the field,” said Abbott. She also commented on how hard the team has worked and the countless hours put into training to become the best they can be.
So far, Maine has shown that they are ready and prepared for challenges to come their way. They are hungry to chase another title and are prepared to earn their fifth victory on Sept 22.
