FARMINGTON, Maine - The University of Maine at Farmington women's soccer team fell behind the visiting Husson University Eagles by four goals in the opening minutes of the second half. However, Farmington began to gain traction on the offensive end of the field, cutting the deficit in half but ultimately losing the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) contest, 4-2.
Senior Spotlight:
Saturday afternoon's game served as Senior Day, allowing the UMF women's soccer team to honor their five seniors and recognize the lasting impact they have had and will leave on the program. Prior to kickoff, Farmington appreciated the phenomenal careers of Grace Dwyer (Manchester, Maine), Riley Forrest (Portland, Maine), Abby Lash (Waldoboro, Maine), Grace Mahmood (Oxford, Conn.), and McKenna Redstone (Turner, Maine).
The Records:
Today's matchup served as the regular-season finale for both squads. Following the loss, the Beavers finished their season with a 7-7-2 overall record and a 4-4-2 record in NAC play. The Eagles ended their season at 10-7-1 overall and 8-1-1 in conference.
How it Happened:
The Eagles controlled possession and the pace of play for the opening 45 minutes, building a 3-0 lead heading into halftime.
Olivia Charles scored the first goal of the game, giving the Eagles a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute. Charles received a throw-in along the left wing from Megan Buddemeyer, carried the ball into the penalty area, and ripped a close-range shot past junior goalkeeper Paige Gonya (Sabattus, Maine).
Seven minutes later, Natalie Aviolla set up a goal for Sophia Mullins. Aviolla sent a cross into the box near the penalty spot that skipped toward Mullins, who settled it down before depositing a shot past Gonya to make it 2-0.
Aviolla scored a goal of her own in the final 90 seconds of the first half. Lindsey Russell carried the ball along the left wing down to the end line before sending a cross in front of the net that landed on Aviolla's head. She redirected the cross into the top left corner of the net, extending the Eagles' lead.
The Eagles outshot the Beavers 15-3 in the opening half.
Husson's offense continued to roll in the opening minutes of the second half. Charles scored her second goal of the game just five minutes into the half, giving Husson a 4-0 lead with 40 minutes left to play.
Farmington didn't stop battling despite the four-goal deficit. The Beavers dug in and started to shift the momentum in their favor. Rita Benoit (Hallowell, Maine) blasted a shot from point-blank range that Eagle goalkeeper Madison Wiegler made a strong initial save on. The rebound, however, bounced right to Mahmood, who had a wide-open net to shoot at and didn't miss.
The Beavers continued to apply offensive pressure and cut the deficit to two on a goal by junior forward Natalie Tracy (Oakland, Maine) in the 75th minute. Tracy used her speed to get behind the Eagles' defense and won a 50-50 ball as Wiegler came off her line, touching it past the goalkeeper, tracking down the loose ball, and firing a shot into the wide-open goal.
Just seconds after her goal, Tracy had an opportunity to make it two, once again finding herself behind the Eagles' backline. Tracy's left-footed shot drifted just wide, and the deficit stayed at two.
Farmington continued to generate opportunities but was unable to find the back of the net again.
Team Stats:
The Eagles held advantages in shots (25-14), shots on goal (12-5), and corner kicks (11-6) to pick up their 10th win of the season.
The Goalkeepers:
Gonya made eight saves in the loss for the Beavers, while Wiegler made three saves to secure the victory.
UP NEXT
The two teams will match up once again next Saturday in an NAC quarterfinal. The Beavers clinched the 4th seed in the NAC East, while the Eagles will serve as the host and the top seed. The game time will be set tomorrow.
