Picicci's Overtime Goal Lifts 'Cats to 1-0 Win vs. Maine

Sunday, March 7

Durham, N.H.

2 PM

University of New Hampshire

4-0-0, 1-0-0AE

Maine

0-3-0, 0-1-0AE

Maine

New Hampshire

Photo by: Larissa Biette

3/7/2021 6:18:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. – Senior forward and captain Francesca Picicci (North Massapequa) scored the game-winning goal in the 95^th minute to lift the University of New Hampshire women's soccer team to a 1-0 overtime victory versus the University of Maine on Sunday afternoon at Wildcat Stadium.

This marks the third consecutive game Picicci scores a goal. Freshman forward Emily Bini (Guilderland, N.Y.) tallied the primary assist for playing a thru ball to Picicci, and classmate Keegan Mayer (Summit, N.J.) was credited with a secondary assist.

UNH junior goalkeeper Cat Sheppard (Nesconset, N.Y.) was credited with her third shutout of the season and eighth career. She recorded two saves.

Maine goalie Kira Kutzinski was credited with six saves. She allowed the lone goal of the game in the fourth minute of overtime.

New Hampshire improved to 4-0-0 overall and 1-0-0 in America East. Maine dropped to 0-3-0, 0-1-0.

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UP NEXT

UNH is scheduled to travel to UMass Lowell on March 14 at Cushing Field Complex in an America East matchup.

FIRST HALF

Freshman Anna Hewlett (Webster, N.Y.) fired a shot from 20 yards that bounced wide right at 6:07 for the first dangerous scoring chance of the match.
In the 10^th minute, Picicci's tackle sprung her for a quick counterattack down the left wing. Her centering pass was deflected but gathered by Whitney Wiley (Vienna, Va.), who fired a left-footer from 22 yards over the crossbar.
The first shot on goal in the first half happened when Maine's Olivia Bamford, eight yards from the goal line, headed the ball back to Kutzinski, who was charging off the line and had to quickly block the ball to prevent an own goal at 37:55.
Bini advanced down the right wing and, as she approached the end line, chipped a shot toward the far post over the cross bar 34:24.
The game was scoreless at the end of the half with UNH recording a 6-1 shot advantage (2-0 on goal) and a 2-0 edge in corner kicks.

SECOND HALF

On a direct kick just outside the top-right corner of the penalty area, Bini blasted a right-footed shot high at 53:05.
Freshman Ella Dudley (St. Augustine, Fla.) struck a shot that sliced wide left at 56:59.
Following a UNH misplay in the defensive zone, Maine's Saylor Clark controlled the loose ball and blasted a shot on goal five yards from the left post, but Sheppard made the huge save at the near post to keep the game scoreless in the 65^th minute.
On the ensuing corner kick, Shepard punched the service by Hannah Bamford out of the goalie box, but Brite Speck's volley from 18 yards sailed well high of the crossbar.
Picicci's bid from the top-left corner of the box was struck to the near post, but was saved by Kitzinski in the 74^th minute.
New Hampshire recorded an 8-3 shot advantage (4-2 on goal) with a 4-2 edge in corner kicks in the second half.

OVERTIME

Freshman back Alivia Kelly (Pembroke, Mass.) fired a shot high from 30 yards at 92:44.
Mayer initiated the scoring sequence with a centering pass from the left wing to Bini, who played a ball over the top to spring Picicci behind Maine's defense down the left side. Kutzinski raced from her goal line and attempted to make a sliding tackle 28 yards out, but Picicci touched the ball past the goalie and left-footed the ball into the middle of the empty net from 17 yards to end the game at 94:19.

WATCH GAME WINNER

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

UNH finished with a 16-4 shot advantage, including 7-2 on goal. The 'Cats recorded the only two shots in the extra session.
The Wildcats collected a 6-2 edge on corner kicks.
Picicci ended with a game high of three shots.
The Black Bears committed 16 fouls in the matchup, which quadrupled the Wildcats' total.

UNH NOTEBOOK

This is the first time UNH women's soccer has started a season 4-0-0.
The Wildcats have three clean sheets in four games and extended their shutout streak to 223 minutes, 49 seconds.
That is also Sheppard's active shutout streak. She is 4-0-0 with a 0.26 GAA, .875 save percentage and three shutouts.
UNH has outscored the opposition 9-1 through four matches. One goal allowed through four games is the fewest since the 2016 squad also allowed one goal.
Picicci has three goals and an assist this season and she is now tied for the team lead in both goals and points (seven) with Wiley.
Bini has an assist each of the last two games and is tied for the team lead with those two assists.
Mayer recorded her first career point with the assist.

SERIES NOTEBOOK

UNH beat Maine for the second consecutive year following a 2-0 win in the 2019 season.
The Wildcats have a 4-1-0 edge on the Black Bears in the last five meetings.
Ten of the last 11 matchups have either been decided by one goal (eight times) or ended in a tie (twice).
Six of the last nine games have gone into OT; UNH is 2-2-2 in those overtime games.
Four of the last six games have ended with a 1-0 score; both teams have two of those four wins.
New Hampshire has won four consecutive matchups in Durham.