ORONO – After playing in three of the last four America East championship games, the University of Maine field hockey team is hoping to finally claim the title and their first NCAA Tournament berth this season.

Interim coach Andrea Thebarge, who had been an assistant for four years at Maine, feels there are plenty of positives, but her Bears need to do a better job of capitalizing on their scoring chances.

Maine lost players who scored 22 of its 38 goals last season, but returnees Gina Legge, a senior, and Nicole Emery, a sophomore, have each scored a pair of goals to already equal their totals of a year ago and lead the Bears to a 2-1 start.

Legge scored the game-winners against Sacred Heart (2-1 in overtime) and Rhode Island (3-2).

But in Tuesday’s 2-1 double-overtime loss to Fairfield, Maine outshot the Stags 24-11 with a 19-3 edge in penalty corners.

“We’re getting a lot of opportunities, but we aren’t converting,” said Thebarge. “That’s our weakness. We have a lot of veterans in the back and in the midfield. They’re our strengths.”

Sophomore forward Kim MacDonald, who shared the team scoring lead with the departed Kasey Spencer last year with eight goals and five assists, agreed with her first-year head coach.

“We have good circle entry. We just need to capitalize more on our shots. We can’t be satisfied just getting shots. We’ve got to push hard to score goals,” said MacDonald, an All-Rookie team and All-AE second team pick last year.

Thebarge said the Bears “definitely have the potential” to score and she intends to make changes in the lineup to ensure they do so.

Winthrop’s Emery, who started just once in 19 games a year ago, has earned a starting spot up front where she will join MacDonald, who has a goal, and converted midfielder Amy Zdrojesky.

Senior Kirsten Costa is also a regular up front while senior Christie Mosley of Hampden, junior Brooke Anderson, and freshman Jackie D’Amato are valuable backups.

The midfield has been strengthened by the return of Katie Flaherty of Winslow, a medical redshirt last year due to knee surgery. Norridgewock freshman Mallory Shute and junior Erin Reusch are also important components, and Augusta freshman Alyssa Cloutier provides quality depth.

“Katie is a great asset for us,” said Thebarge.

Legge called Flaherty “one of our best players” and said she’s a “a great leader, a great motivator.”

“It feels great being back. The knee is 100 percent,” said Flaherty, who feels the Bears have the potential to be a “great team.”

All-HE second teamer Joanna Fernandes, the sweeper, anchors the defense with senior center back Legge, junior Kristen Healy, and sophomore Gigi Niekrash. Fernandes had three goals and four assists last season.

Augusta junior Rebecca Giroux is back in goal. She started 16 games in goal a year ago and posted a 12-6 record, a 1.83 goals-against average, and a .736 save percentage. She has played two of the games so far and sophomore Maygan Cassarino has played the other.

“This is one of the best Maine teams I’ve played on,” said Legge. “Everyone gets along so well.”

2006 UMAINE SCHEDULE

SEPTEMBER

2 – vs. Missouri State, at Chicago, 1 p.m.

3 – vs. Northwestern, at Chicago, 1 p.m.

8 – vs. Hofstra, 3:30 p.m.

16 – vs. Central Michigan, at Bloomington, Ind., 1 p.m.

17 – at Indiana, 1 p.m.

23 – vs. Providence, 9:30 a.m.

24 – vs. Quinnipiac, noon

30 – at Albany, 1 p.m.

OCTOBER

7 – vs. Vermont, 2 p.m.

9 – at Cornell, 1 p.m.

13 – vs. New Hampshire, 1 p.m.

15 – vs. Boston College, 1 p.m.

22 – vs. Md. Baltimore County, noon

28 – at Boston University, 1 p.m.