Ferran goal lifts UMaine past Towson

ORONO – At some point in a game, Janet Riese figures, all the passes and plays and schemes that make up a field hockey game plan melt away, and you’re left with a simple formula.

“It’s a bit of math, I think,” Riese said after her University of Maine team defeated Towson University 1-0 Sunday afternoon.

Riese’s math lesson: Shoot early. Shoot often. Repeat as necessary.

“The more you shoot, the more shots you have, eventually, it’s gotta go in. So just keep shooting it. Janet’s theory,” said Riese with a chuckle, explaining the tactic that led to Sunday’s lone goal from Kristy Ferran.

The Black Bears did exactly what Riese described, bouncing back from a lackluster first half by peppering the Towson goal unmercifully for the final 35 minutes.

Maine, which didn’t muster a shot in the first half, outshot Towson 19-2 after intermission and improved to 3-4, 2-1 in America East play. Towson dropped to 2-6, 0-2.

Ferran scored the game-winner when she knocked in a rebound from five yards out after a Black Bear penalty corner with 24:40 to play.

Ferran got good wood on the ball and reverse-sticked the ball past Betsy Crossman (14 saves). Because field hockey players aren’t allowed to use the back, round side of their stick, players must flip the stick over – or reverse-stick – when the ball is on their backhand side.

“It was powerful, too, because it did hit the goalie’s pad, but her pad wasn’t strong enough,” Ferran said. “Luckily it went in.”

The goal kicked off a frantic 10-minute span during which the Bears threatened to knock in an insurance goal on several occasions, only to be thwarted by Crossman.

Part of the reason for UMaine’s early lack of offense: star center midfielder Jen Johnstone, the team’s leading scorer, was serving a one-game suspension for a violation of team rules.

But after putting speedy junior Karly Bundy in the middle of the field in the first half, Maine coach Terry Kix made a switch that paid off in the second.

“The MVP of the game for us was Jana Ouellette,” Kix said. “She’s usually a forward for us, but she came in and stepped up in the center midfield position and allowed us to put Karly back on the outside. That gave us a lot more attack.”

Maine played solid defense in front of goalie Jaye Lance and the sophomore was forced to make just three saves in her first shutout of the year.

Riese, a center back, and Morgan Brady, the defensive flyer, spearheaded the defensive effort.

“Those two were pretty much untouchable today,” Kix said.