The University of Maine field hockey team is off to their best start since 2018. They have played to a 4-1 record, including a victory over Indiana University, a Big 10 school. Maine’s lone loss came against the country’s top-ranked field hockey program, the Northwestern University Wildcats.
Maine’s electric start could be attributed to many factors: improved speed and passing in free play, increased focus on the execution of penalty corners and a star international goalkeeper playing her first year of collegiate field hockey as a graduate student.
In the Black Bears’ last weekend set, they outscored their opponents 5-1, including two field goals generated during free play, as opposed to on penalty corner attempts.
Head Coach Josette Babineau, in her 18th year with the program, spoke on Sept. 11 regarding the team’s increased efficiency during live competition.
“Last year we didn’t generate that much attack compared to how we’ve been in the past,” Babineau said. “We have to be able to score goals in more than one way, our forwards and midfielders getting on the scoreboard in free play and with our penalty corner.”
It is evident to fans that the offensive has taken a step forward. The team’s goal-per-game rate has increased from 1.8 in 2023 to 2.2 in the first five games this year.
The Black Bears haven’t only been explosive in free play. Their penalty corner crew looked particularly precise in their execution to start the new campaign.
Third-year midfielder Olivia Geniti has been inserting the corners and lurking on the back post to clean up rebounds. With a goal and three assists so far, she certainly put her vision and accuracy on display in her new role.
Maine’s renewed offensive efficiency comes in spite of the program’s top two goal scorers from 2023 departing in the offseason.
Defensively, Maine found a gem in graduate student goalkeeper Rozárie Mrázová. Hailing from the Czech Republic, Mrázová was recognized as America East defensive player of the week for the first time, after allowing one goal and making nine saves in two games against Hofstra and Central Michigan last weekend.
Babineau commented on the goalkeeper’s early-season success.
“Credit to [Mrázová], in preseason she had an injury, and she didn’t practice a lot. She didn’t have a lot of preparation going into that game [vs. #1 Northwestern]. She did handle that game really well, and I think that gave her some confidence. Every game she’s a little more confident, and she shows us what her ability is,” said Babineau.
Despite the season-opening loss to the country’s top team, it’s clear that Mrázová’s confidence has been mounting as she navigates a high-pressure role.
“Our goalies know that to be competitive in-conference, we have to have some of the best level of goalkeeping in [the America East] to be successful,” said Babineau.
Looking ahead, Maine is preparing to face a juggernaut on Friday, Sept. 13 at Boston College, before moving onto the more manageable opponent, Boston University.
The Black Bears already have a power conference victory under their belts with their defeat of Indiana. An undefeated weekend may provide Maine the push they need to get into the top 20.
“What happens with some of the ACC and Big 10 teams, it’s the speed, strength and depth that they have, maybe in comparison to us, so we need to be able to match that,” Coach Babineau said. “Against BC, [the mindset] is going to be to be organized defensively really early, and to know our matchups.”
Evidently, Coach Babineau will be instilling an aggressive, underdog mentality in her team as they look to prove that they belong in the top tier of D1 field hockey.
Watch the Black Bears on ACCNX on Sept. 13, as they battle the Boston College Eagles, who are ranked 13 nationally.