UMaine rolls to win over UMBC Aggressiveness, execution lead Black Bears to first America East victory

ORONO – From the outset of Friday afternoon’s conference-opening clash with the University of Maryland Baltimore County, it was apparent this University of Maine team was playing at a different level.

Even with all the pregame scouting UMBC head coach Kristy Hartman-Mumma did on the Black Bears, she was still left shaking her head after UMaine’s 5-1 field hockey victory at Morse Field.

“Even though people are seeing their scores and saying ‘Wow, they’re better this year,’ I’m not sure you can really appreciate that until you see them play,” said Hartman-Mumma.

The 7-3 Bears made 3-5 UMBC look as though it was playing in slow motion as they combined efficient execution, aggressive play, and crisp passing with devastating effect.

The Bears scored 51/2 minutes into the game when Winthrop’s Emily Dooling, who was camped out near the left side of the cage, swept in a pass from fellow senior Liz Mendell of Palmyra. Maine made it 2-0 31/2 minutes later as Traci Rainone swatted a shot in the goal from 15 feet away after Rachel Hilgar rushed down midfield and found her open on the left side.

“The last few days in practice, we’ve really tried hard to work on our efficiency, passing the ball and receiving it on the move,” said Kix, who credited an intense Wednesday practice for the Bears’ crisp execution.

The second goal prompted a UMBC timeout, and although the Retrievers managed to slow the scoring a bit, they couldn’t stop it. With 61/2 minutes left in the half, Meagan Connolly scored on a slap shot to the middle off a pass from fellow defensive back Joanna Fernandes, who faked to Katie Flaherty before slipping it to Connolly off a corner.

“Their stick skills increased their maneuverability around us over what we were expecting, plus their passing was stellar,” Hartman-Mumma said.

UMBC scored with 5:08 left in the half when midfielder Amy Morrow’s shot rebounded off Maine goalie Jamie Morin’s pads back out to her and she swatted it in.

Maine added two more – both by junior forward Kasey Spencer – in the second half. The first came with 22:51 left off a shot to the left corner that looked more like a poke pass. The second came on a fast break up the right side on which Mendell blew through the defense and hit Spencer right on the stick with a perfect lead pass to the middle for the score with 16:34 to go.

Spencer credited the tempo of the game and her team’s execution for the impressive win.

“When defenses just sit back and wait, it makes it harder to get the kind of flow we like, but their style made this more a wide-open game for us and it’s a style we like to play,” said the Old Town native.

Mendell said a 9-2 advantage in corners was also huge.

“We’ve been there before and it’s frustrating when you’re on the bad end,” she said. “It put ’em back on their heels.”

Morin, the junior from Winslow, finished with four saves on eight shots. Rebecca Giroux relieved her with 12:50 to play, but didn’t face a shot. UMBC goalie Meghan Polek made eight saves on 20 Maine shots.