Mariners look for kick start Men, women a bit sluggish out of gate

The Maine Maritime Academy women’s soccer team was spoiled the last couple of seasons to have a prolific goal-scorer and a dependable goalkeeper.

Replacing the offensive production of Amy Asselin and the strong goalie play of Meghan Marshall are the key challenges for the Mariner women’s side this fall.

The MMA men’s soccer team has struggled to an 0-4 start, but will regain the services of junior striker Ben Tourangeu for Saturday’s 7 p.m. game against visiting University of Maine-Machias. Tourangeu was a first team All-NAC pick a year ago.

MMA women’s coach Craig Dagan welcomes back a wealth of experience in the midfield and in the back. And MMA of Castine also returns seven of its top eight scorers from the team that went 10-7-1 and lost to eventual champion Castleton State in the North Atlantic Conference semifinals.

However, the Mariners (0-1-1 this season) will have to find new ways to manufacture goals with cohesive team play.

“The one place of concern for us is that those are not just going to come easy this year,” Dagan said. “We need to play better team soccer rather than rely on one person to set up everybody else.”

Heading the offensive charge are senior forward Jessica Taylor of Orland (nine goals, 10 assists in 2005) and senior center midfielder Kristen Gaylord of Auburn (six and six). Other players who could boost the scoring output up front are freshman Diana Manatt-Rogers and junior Amy Preble of Hartland (two and three).

Dagan is excited about the team’s experience elsewhere on the field, especially the defense. Senior Ashley Douglass of Bath, junior Lindsey Comeau and freshman Kelsi Eiane of Harpswell form a stingy trio.

“Ashley is tremendous, a four-year starter for us at sweeper,” said Dagan, who also praised Comeau’s ability to shut down key opponents. “Without a doubt the strongest part of our team is the defense.”

Senior Hillary Arris of Falmouth is back after having transferred to Ohio State and will try to fill the shoes of Madawaska native Marshall, who is now an assistant coach.

There is also experience in the midfield as Gaylord is joined in the center by senior Kristin Gabor of Woolwich (three and three) and sophomore Nicole McKenna of Presque Isle (three and three). MMA will need its outside midfielders, sophomores Darcy Herrick of Otisfield and Meghan McKay of Old Town, to play consistently.

“We’re pretty solid all the way around,” Dagan said. “It’s probably the most depth I’ve ever had here.”

The MMA men’s team of second-year coach Dave Patterson could use an infusion of goal production from Scarborough’s Tourangeu after the Mariners scored just three goals in their first four games.

Tourangeu missed the first four games due to “disciplinary reasons” according to Patterson, the former University of Maine women’s coach.

Patterson acknowledged that “we’ve had a hard time scoring” but said there have certainly been some positives.

“We’ll work as hard as any team we play. That’s a given. I’ve been very pleased with the work rate, the enthusiasm and the effort,” said Irishman Patterson. “Sometimes that’s enough [to produce wins]. But we can’t just outwork teams. We’ve got to raise our level of play a little bit.”

Patterson lost three starters off last year’s 8-6-2 team but Tourangeu’s absence and injuries to other players have forced him to fill the void with freshmen.

He had been playing three freshmen in the back along with senior Josh Coffin of Orrington. Eliot’s Phil McNerney, Presque Isle’s Derrek Belanger and Machias’ Isaiah Roberts had been starting but Roberts suffered a knee injury in the second game of the season and he has been sidelined.

There is more experience in the midfield although freshman Keenan Vogler has emerged as one of the team’s regulars. Senior Andy Pease of Old Town, juniors Tyler Eads of Belfast and Alan Alexander of Cumberland Center and sophomore Ed Menchaca have been mainstays in the midfield.

Patterson has been using a wide range of players up front.

Dixmont’s Justin Nichols, normally a midfielder, has been playing as a striker along with freshman Patrick Trenholm from Monmouth. Trenholm can also play in the midfield.

Sophomore striker-midfielder Pedro Vidal from Panama has been sidelined by an ankle injury and is expected back in a week.

York junior Garrett Hutchins can play in the midfield or in the back.

Patterson uses either a 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 formation.

Bangor senior Josh Heath returns in goal and has been a real plus, according to Patterson.

“He’s an excellent goalkeeper. In our loss [3-2 in overtime] to Southern Maine, he played one of the best games I have ever seen,” said Patterson.