Bears look to end Husky hex Maine seeks first field hockey win in Kix’s 12-year tenure

University of Maine field hockey coach Terry Kix has never beaten the Northeastern University Huskies.

The 12th-year coach would like to end that trend Sunday at 1 p.m. when her Black Bears entertain the Huskies, 12-2 and ranked eighth in the country entering a Friday night game against No. 15 California.

Maine is 11-2 and was ranked as high as 19th this season.

“Northeastern has owned us. They’ve been a national power. They’ve been to the final four. But, over the last two to three years, we’ve closed the gap significantly. If we play our best Sunday, we’ll have our best chance ever to beat them,” said Kix. “They’re extremely talented. We’re going to have to force them to make mistakes, be aggressive and feisty and stop their best players.”

Those “best players” include midfielders Sara Webber (5 goals, 6 assists) and Sara Broderick (7 & 1) and defender Fior Arrindell (5 & 0).

Mari Creatini (9 & 6) and Liane Dixon (10 & 1) are NU’s leading scorers.

Winslow senior Emily Roy is their goalie (11-2, 0.70 goals-against average, .836 save percentage) and senior Aleisha Bemis of Oakland (1 & 1) plays in the midfield and the back.

Maine lost a 2-1 decision to NU in the America East semifinals last season.

Skowhegan’s Tara Bedard (9 & 7) and Winslow’s Kristy Ferran (7 & 1) continue to pace the Bears along with Jen Johnstone (3 & 5), Skowhegan defender Kim Leo (0 & 4) and goalie Jaye Lance (7-2, 1.01, .878).

Stevens has successful surgery

Emily Stevens, a starting fullback for the Maine women’s soccer team and a defenseman for the ice hockey team, had successful surgery recently to repair the torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.

The junior will be a medical redshirt with two years of eligibility remaining in both sports.

She was injured in the season-opening 8-0 win over Canisius.

“It’s going to take six to nine months but the leg should be stronger than ever,” said Stevens.

Maine’s women’s soccer team, 4-7-1 overall and 0-3-1 in America East, will play Vermont (3-10, 1-2) Sunday at noon at the Point Lookout Field in Northport.

Bailey joins UMaine hoop staff

Will Bailey, a former player and graduate assistant at Alabama-Birmingham, has been hired as an assistant men’s basketball coach at the University of Maine, head coach John Giannini announced Friday.

Bailey, a native of Chicago, was an assistant last season at Chicago State, where he was active in recruiting and all phases of the program.

“Will is everything that I was hoping for in this position,” Giannini said.

“He is a great person with a strong work ethic and excellent interpersonal skills. I think he is going to be a positive influence on our players,” he added.

Bailey was a captain at UAB in 1996-97, when the Blazers made an NIT appearance. He also played at Parkland Community College in Champaign, Ill.

He expects to earn his master’s degree in health and physical education from UAB in December after earning a B.S. in criminal justice in 1998.