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University of New Hampshire Athletics
The thrill of victory - Whitney Wiley (7) and Abbi Maier (24). (China Wong photo)
Insider Report: Right Time, Right Place
11/5/2022 2:03:00 PM | Women's Soccer, UNH Insider
Maier Scores a Pair, 'Cats Play for America East Title in Binghamton on Sunday
DURHAM, N.H. – Abbi Maier, a freshman midfielder on the University of New Hampshire women's soccer team, scored a pair of goals in the first 12 games she played this season.
She scored two more in game No. 13 on the biggest stage to date for this year's Wildcats, an America East semifinal matchup at Wildcat Stadium on Thursday night against Maine.
As a result, UNH, the No. 2 seed in the league tournament, knocked off the Black Bears, 2-1, and will play at Binghamton on Sunday at 2 p.m. for the America East championship with a spot in the NCAA tournament on the line as well.
Maier hustled towards the net on both goals and each time was able to redirect a perfect feed from sophomore Meghan Guarente past the Maine goalkeeper. Junior Emily Bini also had an assist on each goal.
"I was trying to get where I needed to be, when I needed to be there," Maier said.
Her timing was just right.
On the first one, Maier one-timed a pass from Guarente with her left foot into the net in the 21st minute of the game to open the scoring.
"I saw Meg get around her defender and I knew that I needed to get across the front of my defender so I could get to the ball first if it came to me," Maier said. "By getting in front of my defender, she couldn't get there in time and I tried to get my foot on it to redirect it."
Maine tied it at 1-1 with a goal late in the first half.
Maier struck again in a similar way with only about four and a half minutes left in regulation.
Again, Guarante had taken a pass from Bini and gotten around her defender on the left side.
"I was like I need to be in my spot when the ball gets there so it's not on me if the ball makes it across the box with no one there," Maier said. "It was, get in front of your defender and then be ready for anything. That was my thought."
This time the ball came in high and Maier – one of the shorter Wildcats at 5-foot-3 – was able to get her head on it and popped the ball over the keeper and into the net.
The Wildcats held on for the final few minutes and are on their way to the championship game for the second straight season.
UNH and Binghamton are each looking for a second America East tournament title. The Wildcats won in 2014 in coach Steve Welham's first season. Binghamton won in 2004.
Welham lauded the play of Maier – who is from Cincinnati and was named to the America East All-Rookie team this season - and the Wildcats overall.
"Huge game by Abbi," he said. "She just came alive. She's shown the spark of a great player and great players have big moments in those big games and she did it. She's a dynamic, technical player, incredibly versatile. We know she can play out wide, she can play centrally as well in the midfield and is someone you can punch through from the midfield. With her pace and her dynamic movement off the ball, she's always going to be a goal scoring threat in the final third."
It was a total team effort from grad student keeper Cat Sheppard forward.
"We had to grind it out," Welham said. "It was very calming to see Cat play such a solid game in the back. The back line, really led by Cat and Alivia Kelly and Maddie Kolb, was great, all the way to the middle."
Sophomore back Brooke Samborski came off the bench and played 68 minutes.
"Huge minutes, the most minutes she's played in her career," Welham said. "You need a presence in the midfield to help combat their style of play. Maine's obviously a very good team and direct and physical. We needed someone to really match up with their physicality and Brooke did a wonderful job there."
As UNH's game ended, Binghamton's semifinal against UAlbany was in its final minutes. The Wildcats watched the game on the video board in Wildcat Stadium with a vested interest.
The Bearcats led 2-1, but if UAlbany could catch up and win the game, UNH would be the top seed remaining and the championship would be played in Durham.
The Great Danes tied it late and the teams went to overtime. Binghamton scored for 3-2 and the teams continued through the rest of the first 10-minute OT session and into the second. UAlbany tied it again and then came penalty kicks.
The Bearcats prevailed.
On to Binghamton.
UNH beat the Bearcats, 1-0, on a Guarente goal Oct. 23 in Durham.
Now the Wildcats will look to do it again and finish what they started last season.
As the No. 6 seed last year, UNH advanced through the first round and semifinals on penalty kicks to face No. 1 Vermont in Burlington in the title game.
The Catamounts scored in the 80th minute and held on for the win.
"We're focused and optimistic about what we're doing," Welham said. "The bulk of the team was here last year and for the new players it's their first go-round. Maddy Warren having been to the Sweet 16 with TCU is a good thing It's a good opportunity and the team is excited about it, no question about that. We came very close last year and the players who were here know how it feels to not get it and they want to pull the younger players along. They understand what we need to do."
She scored two more in game No. 13 on the biggest stage to date for this year's Wildcats, an America East semifinal matchup at Wildcat Stadium on Thursday night against Maine.
As a result, UNH, the No. 2 seed in the league tournament, knocked off the Black Bears, 2-1, and will play at Binghamton on Sunday at 2 p.m. for the America East championship with a spot in the NCAA tournament on the line as well.
Maier hustled towards the net on both goals and each time was able to redirect a perfect feed from sophomore Meghan Guarente past the Maine goalkeeper. Junior Emily Bini also had an assist on each goal.
"I was trying to get where I needed to be, when I needed to be there," Maier said.
Her timing was just right.
On the first one, Maier one-timed a pass from Guarente with her left foot into the net in the 21st minute of the game to open the scoring.
"I saw Meg get around her defender and I knew that I needed to get across the front of my defender so I could get to the ball first if it came to me," Maier said. "By getting in front of my defender, she couldn't get there in time and I tried to get my foot on it to redirect it."
Maine tied it at 1-1 with a goal late in the first half.
Maier struck again in a similar way with only about four and a half minutes left in regulation.
Again, Guarante had taken a pass from Bini and gotten around her defender on the left side.
"I was like I need to be in my spot when the ball gets there so it's not on me if the ball makes it across the box with no one there," Maier said. "It was, get in front of your defender and then be ready for anything. That was my thought."
This time the ball came in high and Maier – one of the shorter Wildcats at 5-foot-3 – was able to get her head on it and popped the ball over the keeper and into the net.
The Wildcats held on for the final few minutes and are on their way to the championship game for the second straight season.
UNH and Binghamton are each looking for a second America East tournament title. The Wildcats won in 2014 in coach Steve Welham's first season. Binghamton won in 2004.
Welham lauded the play of Maier – who is from Cincinnati and was named to the America East All-Rookie team this season - and the Wildcats overall.
"Huge game by Abbi," he said. "She just came alive. She's shown the spark of a great player and great players have big moments in those big games and she did it. She's a dynamic, technical player, incredibly versatile. We know she can play out wide, she can play centrally as well in the midfield and is someone you can punch through from the midfield. With her pace and her dynamic movement off the ball, she's always going to be a goal scoring threat in the final third."
It was a total team effort from grad student keeper Cat Sheppard forward.
"We had to grind it out," Welham said. "It was very calming to see Cat play such a solid game in the back. The back line, really led by Cat and Alivia Kelly and Maddie Kolb, was great, all the way to the middle."
Sophomore back Brooke Samborski came off the bench and played 68 minutes.
"Huge minutes, the most minutes she's played in her career," Welham said. "You need a presence in the midfield to help combat their style of play. Maine's obviously a very good team and direct and physical. We needed someone to really match up with their physicality and Brooke did a wonderful job there."
As UNH's game ended, Binghamton's semifinal against UAlbany was in its final minutes. The Wildcats watched the game on the video board in Wildcat Stadium with a vested interest.
The Bearcats led 2-1, but if UAlbany could catch up and win the game, UNH would be the top seed remaining and the championship would be played in Durham.
The Great Danes tied it late and the teams went to overtime. Binghamton scored for 3-2 and the teams continued through the rest of the first 10-minute OT session and into the second. UAlbany tied it again and then came penalty kicks.
The Bearcats prevailed.
On to Binghamton.
UNH beat the Bearcats, 1-0, on a Guarente goal Oct. 23 in Durham.
Now the Wildcats will look to do it again and finish what they started last season.
As the No. 6 seed last year, UNH advanced through the first round and semifinals on penalty kicks to face No. 1 Vermont in Burlington in the title game.
The Catamounts scored in the 80th minute and held on for the win.
"We're focused and optimistic about what we're doing," Welham said. "The bulk of the team was here last year and for the new players it's their first go-round. Maddy Warren having been to the Sweet 16 with TCU is a good thing It's a good opportunity and the team is excited about it, no question about that. We came very close last year and the players who were here know how it feels to not get it and they want to pull the younger players along. They understand what we need to do."
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