Wildcats Suffer First Road Loss of the Season, 1-0 at Maine

Thursday, September 27

Orono, Maine

7 PM

University of New Hampshire

5-5-1

Maine

5-4-1

New Hampshire

Maine

(Photo by Audrey Powell)

Photo by: Audrey Powell

9/27/2018 9:27:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

The Wildcats fall to 1-1-0 in conference play.

ORONO, Maine – The University of New Hampshire women's soccer team traveled up to Orono, Maine to face the University of Maine in America East action. The Wildcats outshot the Black Bears in the contest, but Maine came out on top with a goal in the 84^th minute.

The game refused to be decided by possession alone, as both teams controlled the ball evenly and got their breaks. Despite outshooting the Black Bears 14-12 overall, the Wildcats end up suffering their first America East loss of the season.

Graduate student Mia Neas (Old Saybrook, Conn.) was tested in the contest and made four saves on solid Maine attempts, but suffers her fifth loss of the year; her record now stands at 5-5-1 on the season.

The Wildcats return to action next Thursday as they travel to UMass Lowell to face the River Hawks at 7 PM.

GAME INFORMATION:
Date: Sep. 27, 2018 – 7 P.M.
Location: Mahaney Diamond – Orono, Maine
Attendance: 217
Score: Maine 1 (5-4-1, 1-1-0 AE) UNH 0 (5-5-1, 1-1-0 AE)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The game started back and forth with several quick possession changes as both teams tried to establish dominance on the ball.
The Wildcats had a chance in the 10^th minute on a corner kick that got past Maine's keeper Annalena Kriebisch, but she was able to recover and smother the ball before a Wildcat got a clean foot on the ball.
Megan Rumbold (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) had a chance in the 12^th minute on a free kick from about 40 yards out, but was unable to sneak it over Kriebisch, who made the save.
The Wildcats had a fast break chance on an errant midfield header by Maine; Casey Peterson (Clifton, Va.) and Liz Lane (Porter, Maine) were all alone coming from onside, Peterson corralled the ball inside the 18 and past it back to Lane but her shot went wide.
The Black Bears attempted several free kicks in the final two minutes, one of which resulted in a bicycle kick attempt in the box but Mia Neas made the save.
Both teams hunkered down and played solid defense in first 35 minutes of the second half, each doing everything they could to prevent scoring opportunities for their opponent.
Maine got the first goal of the game in the 81^st minute on a cross pass in from the right side into the box, that was tipped towards net by Maine's Nicole Bailey. Neas got a hand on the ball but was unable to get enough of it to redirect it.
A long corner by Rumbold found Kaylan Williams (Marion, Ind.) far outside the box; her strike ricocheted off a Maine defender and Kreibisch had to punch it over the crossbar. The ensuing corner kick was cleared by Maine.
A free kick in the 89^th minute sailed high for New Hampshire, but set in motion several attacking opportunities in the final two minutes for New Hampshire. Several clearances out of bounds sealed it for Maine.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

Both teams had as many shots on goals as they did corner kicks. (Maine 5, New Hampshire 8).
New Hampshire outshot Maine 14-12 in the game.
Megan Rumbold and Kaylan Williams led the Wildcats with two shots on goal each.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

The Wildcats suffer their first road loss of the year. They are 3-1-1 in road games this season.
New Hampshire suffered its first loss when tallying more shots on goal than their opponent. (4-1-0)
UNH went 10 games, and four road games before suffering their first road loss.
Five of the last seven meetings between New Hampshire and Maine have gone to overtime. This game was the first regular-season meeting since 2013 where a UNH-Maine game ended in regulation.