FARMINGTON, Maine - Junior forward Natalie Tracy (Oakland, Maine) scored her fifth goal of the season, the eventual game-winner, in the 21st minute to help the University of Maine at Farmington women's soccer team secure a crucial North Atlantic Conference (NAC) victory at home on Friday evening.
The Records:
The victory marked Farmington's first NAC win of the season, improving their record to 3-4-2 overall and 1-1-2 in conference play. The Lynx dropped to 3-4-1 and 1-1 in NAC competition following the defeat.
How It Happened:
The Lynx held the majority of possession for the entire 90 minutes, but the Beavers made things difficult with their stellar, disciplined defense, as only 26% of Lesley's shot attempts were on target.
Lesley had the first strong scoring chance in the 17th minute when Lily Wright's left-footed blast nicked the top of the crossbar and skipped out of play.
Tracy, who had been coming off the bench for most of the season, checked into the game at the 16:20 mark and instantly made her presence felt. Senior Grace Dwyer (Manchester, Maine) lofted a long ball over the top of the Lynx defense, allowing Tracy to use her speed to outrun her mark and go in alone on Lynx goalkeeper Madison Reed. Caught out of position, Reed watched as Tracy gathered the ball and fired into the wide-open goal, giving Farmington a 1-0 lead.
After Tracy's goal, Lesley intensified the pressure, maintaining possession for much of the time. However, the Beavers remained disciplined, making it difficult for the Lynx to find clear opportunities.
Most of the shots Lesley managed to muster were contested and came through traffic. The Lynx's best opportunity to score came near the end of the second half when Annika Gensda found herself open around the penalty spot, allowing one of the few uncontested shots at Beavers goalkeeper Megan Gonya. Gonya, who was sharp throughout the match, made a diving save to her right, preserving the lead.
With Lesley pushing numbers forward, the Beavers had another chance to score in the 85th minute when Tracy found herself alone with Reed again. Reed made a phenomenal sprawling save to deny Tracy's opportunity, keeping the game a one-goal affair.
The Beavers held on in the final moments to secure the important NAC victory.
Team Stats:
Lesley held a significant 27-4 advantage in total shots but only a 7-3 edge in shots on goal. The Lynx also had a slight 2-1 advantage in corner kicks.
The Goalkeepers:
Gonya was outstanding throughout the game, effectively controlling the goal and the penalty area. She deflected crossing attempts and aggressively came off her line to thwart scoring chances, finishing with seven saves for the shutout. Reed made three saves for Lesley.
UP NEXT
The Beavers return to action next Friday when they travel to Bangor to take on conference rival Husson University at 6:30 PM.
