by: Spencer Bergholtz
Black Bears top UNH 2-1 in overtime
Second-year forward Kaitlin Saulter was heroic for the Black Bears women’s soccer team, scoring in overtime on the road to take down rival University of New Hampshire 2-1. Saulter wasted no time, striking the game winner just 2:59 into the overtime period. The win improves Maine to 8-5-1 on the year and New Hampshire falls to 6-7-3.
Saulter recovered a loose ball in heavy traffic in the middle of the field, then moved upfield, taking a rising shot from 18 yards that found its way through UNH third-year goalie Mimi Borkan and into top left corner of the net.
The Wildcats got on the board first when second-year midfielder Brooke Murphy received a touch pass from fourth-year forward Caroline Murray inside of the box, ripping in a shot for a 1-0 lead.
Maine answered the call just 1:21 later when first-year forward Jenna Soucy netted a pivotal goal. For Soucy, it was the first goal of her Black Bear career.
Soucy took a lead pass in stride from fourth-year forward Charlene Achille and let one go from 30 yards, hitting directly off the left post and into the back of the net.
Both teams were in attack mode in the second half, applying pressure at both ends of the field. However, neither team could find the back of the net before the end of regulation. Black Bears’ third-year goaltender Claudia Dube-Trempe played well in net, turning aside 3 of 4 shots, allowing the Black Bears to continue their success in conference play. With the win, Dube-Trempe improved her record to 8-4-1 in net and reduced her goals against average to 0.98 on the season.
Maine falls to Binghamton 2-0
The Maine Black Bears suffered a ruthless loss to the Binghamton Bearcats on Sunday afternoon by the score of 2-0. Dropping Maine’s record to 8-6-1 overall, while Binghamton improves to a dismal 2-11-2.
Binghamton struck first in the 26th minute when fourth-year forward Katherine Corcoran scored a bizarre goal coming off a corner kick shot that she bent in over the top of Maine’s third-year goaltender Claudia Dube-Trempe’s head and in the back of the net, putting the Bearcats on top 1-0. Binghamton never looked back from there. Dube-Trempe was sharp in between the pipes for Maine, saving seven out of nine shots that came her way.
Maine had plenty of opportunities in the second half of this game, including a chance when Binghamton goalie came way out of her net to make a play, and the rebound went fell to the Black Bears first-year defender Kate Evans, who ripped a shot on net but unfortunately hit a Binghamton defender who was on the goal line to bail out her goalie. Then in the last ten minutes of the contest Maine’s standout first-year forward Vivien Beil broke loose for a breakaway and had a great look from about 15 yards out and Binghamton’s second-year goalie Katie Hatziyianis made a heroic diving save to deny the ball from going in the bottom left corner.
After multiple missed opportunities by the Black Bears, Binghamton put the icing on the cake in the 86th minute with an insurance goal, putting them up by two. Third-year forward Leighann Bennett scored a nice goal as she took a through ball from second-year midfielder Hannah Shankman and buried it in the bottom right corner from 10 yards out without any Maine defenders in the area.
Binghamton Head Coach Sarah McClellan was very happy about her team’s win after coming in as underdogs.
“We have been in so many close games this season that have not gone our way, it’s nice to be on the other end of it for a change,” McClellan said.
Binghamton has struggled mightily this year and this big win over Maine may be the highlight of their season.
Maine is looking to get back on track and into playoff form on Thursday for senior night when they play host to Stony Brook at 7 p.m.