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ORONO – The University of Maine women’s soccer team has made a habit of getting to the America East championship game.
Now they would just like to win one.
If the Black Bears are to claim their first America East title after four consecutive championship-game appearance, they will do so with one of the younger teams they’ve had in recent years.
Ninth-year head coach Scott Atherley has 16 freshmen and sophomores among his 21 players this fall, although five of the sophomores received significant playing time a year ago.
“This will be an adjustment for me,” said Atherley. “We’ve had some real experienced teams [in recent years] so I had certain expectations of what we were going to look like.
“This team is going to be a work in progress,” added Atherley.
Atherley readily admits he is fortunate to have veterans in two of the most important positions on the field: goalie Jasmine Phillips and striker Laura Harper.
“We have experience in the right places,” said Atherley.
Junior Phillips, the America East Goalie of the Year in 2005, had 12 shutouts a year ago and an 0.38 goals-against average and senior Harper led the team in scoring with 11 goals and 2 assists.
“We’re a very young team. We can use that to our advantage and it will also be a little bit of a challenge. But it’s a really talented team. We have a lot to learn but I think it’s going to be a really good year for us,” said Phillips.
Harper said “we’ve got a lot of fire in us because we’re young. It should be a good year.”
Sophomore Cristina Di Ielsi (2 goals, 0 assists) has been moved from outside back to center back “because she’s so good at reading the game” according to Atherley and she will be flanked by steady sophomores Anjelica Hodgson (1 & 0) and Presque Isle’s Katie DeLong, a converted forward who has improved dramatically. DeLong is also a sophomore who played in just three games a year ago.
“Katie gives us tremendous athleticism, she’s smart and she plays very simple which are all the qualities you want in a back,” said Atherley.
Atherley said his midfield is his biggest question mark due to inexperience.
York sophomore Hailey Blackburn, considered a “strong physical presence” by Atherley, will be in a front sweeper role which will have her positioned between the back line and the midfield in Atherley’s diamond midfield alignment.
Sophomore Jordon Pekrul has been moved from fullback to left midfield with junior Kim Stephenson (1 & 3) returning at right midfield and sophomore Veronique Fleury (3 & 3) in the attacking midfield role.
Pekrul and Stephenson can both defend and figure into the attack and Fleury, according to Atherley, has “excellent vision and can find the seams. She gives us a fourth attacker.”
High school All-American Kelsey Wilson of Gorham and Claire Robbins are two gifted freshmen who will see time in the midfield.
Harper will be joined up front by Lewiston sophomore Laura Martel (3 & 1) and junior Christine Lebelle (2 & 1). Freshman Caril Gill could also see some playing time up front.
Maine, 14-4-2 a year ago, opens Friday at 4 against UMass. The game will be played at the University of Rhode Island.
UMAINE SCHEDULE
AUGUST
31 – Massachusetts, 4 p.m.
SEPTEMBER
2 – at Rhode Island, noon
7 – Virginia Commonwealth, 4 p.m.
9 – at William & Mary, 3 p.m.
14 – at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
16 – St. John’s, 10:30 a.m.
21 – Holy Cross, 3 p.m.
25 – at Brown, 7 p.m.
30 – at Albany, noon
OCTOBER
7 – Maryland Baltimore County, 11 a.m.
11 – Boston University, 3 p.m.
14 – at Hartford, 1 p.m.
18 – at New Hampshire, 3 p.m.
21 – Binghamton, noon
25 – at Vermont, 3 p.m.
28 – Stony Brook, noon
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