UM women seek soccer breakthrough Bears to face Hartford in final

HAMPDEN – The University of Maine women’s soccer team has been to three consecutive America East championship games but has yet to win one.

For two Maine natives, Saturday’s title game against Hartford will be their final chance to claim the championship and earn the school’s first NCAA Tournament berth in women’s soccer.

McKayla Bell, who played at Oxford Hills High School in South Paris, and Saco’s Natalie Berry, who played at Thornton Academy, are looking forward to the 2 p.m. showdown with the Hawks.

The Black Bears practiced on Hampden Academy’s FieldTurf field this week to prepare for the similar surface at Al Marzook Field in West Hartford.

“By making it to the finals the past three years and missing it makes you want it that much more,” said midfielder Berry. “You always want to go out with a bang your senior year. We just want to bring it home for our school and for everyone who has supported us.”

Bell said, “We’ve been there three years and come home. This year has been a hard year and we’ve worked really hard. It would be a great way to end. To go to the NCAAs.”

Berry said she has thought about making it to the NCAA Tournament ever since she was a freshman.

“This year is the year. I feel it. It’s our last chance and we definitely want to make school history,” said Berry.

Maine enters the game with a school-record 14 wins to go with three losses and two ties. The third-seeded Bears, 5-3 in conference play, beat Vermont 2-0 and Boston University in penalty kicks (2-0) to reach the final. Top seed Hartford earned a first-round bye and beat New Hampshire 2-1 in the semifinals.

Hartford, 9-8-2 overall and 6-0-2 in league play, beat Maine 1-0 in overtime in Orono on Oct. 8 despite being outshot 17-9.

“We’ll need to keep our shape, play quickly, and combine with each other, especially in the final [attacking] third. We’ll need to make that one more pass to make the perfect shot. And we need to go hard. This is it,” said Berry.

Maine features the league’s leading scorer in Laura Harper (11 goals, 2 assists). Its other top scorers are junior midfielder Marie-Andree Canuel (4 & 3) and freshmen Veronique Fleury (3 & 3) and Laura Martel (3 & 1).

Goalie Jasmine Phillips led the league in goals-against average (0.35) and save percentage (.916) and was tied in shutouts with 12.

Hartford is led by AE Striker of the Year Meagan Riemer (7 & 6), who had the game-winner against Maine; Sara Flowers (3 & 9); AE Defender of the Year Kellie Leyland, and Goalkeeper of the Year Liz Cook (1.03 GAA, .817 save percentage).

Maine meets Albany today

The Maine women’s field hockey team will face Albany in the America East semifinals today at 2:30 at Boston University’s Jack Barry Field in Cambridge, Mass.

Maine is 7-10 overall and was 3-2 in America East to earn the third seed. Albany, 12-6 and 4-1, is the second seed. Top seed BU (12-6, 4-1) and No. 4 Vermont (11-7, 3-2) will play at noon.

The title game will be Sunday at 1 at BU.

Albany beat Maine 3-0 on Sept. 30.

Maine’s top scorers are Winthrop’s Nicole Emery (6 & 2), Amy Zdrojesky (3 & 4), Gina Legge (3 & 2), and Winslow’s Katie Flaherty (1 & 4). Goalkeeper Rebecca Giroux of Augusta had the league’s best save percentage at .768 to go with a 1.93 GAA.

Albany features Michelle Simpson (14 & 7) and Michele Polizois (10 & 3) along with Teska Koch (9 & 3) and Arlette Westdorp (0 & 19).

USM women third in Div. 3 poll

The University of Southern Maine women’s basketball team has been ranked third in the USA Today/ESPN Division III Top 25 Coaches Preseason Poll released this week.

Coach Gary Fifield’s Huskies went 33-2 last season and finished as the national runner-up. USM is led by WBCA/Kodak All-American Ashley Marble of Topsfield, starting point guard Katie Sibley of Boothbay and forward Shannon Kynoch.

“It is a testament to the tradition and success that our program has consistently had over the last 26 years and shows a great deal of respect for this year’s team, as well as the history of the program, by the nation’s coaches,” Fifield said.

USM of Gorham has won 20 or more games each season for an NCAA Division III-record 26 years and has made four Final Four appearances in the last nine seasons. The Huskies also have won 10 straight Little East Conference titles.