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BANGOR – The Maine Tide’s debut in the Women’s Premier League did not produce a win, but it was certainly a success and the team earned praise from its talented conquerors, Soccer Plus from Connecticut.
Soccer Plus beat the Tide 2-0 in front of an estimated 100 fans at Husson College’s Boucher Field on two second-half goals from former Penn State striker Tiffany Weimer, who was chosen the Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year for the 2005-2006 season.
“They did really well for this being their first year,” said Weimer. “They were organized. It seemed like they have been doing a lot of work together. It didn’t seem like it was their first game, that’s for sure.”
“I thought they were very good,” said former University of North Carolina star Libby Guess, who set up Weimer’s second goal with a pinpoint diagonal pass from the right flank. “They came out really strong … hard tackling, competitive. I thought they possessed the ball well. They were a really good team. It was definitely a tough game.”
Soccer Plus had a sizeable advantage in possession but the Tide defended tenaciously and had numbers behind the ball, limiting the Reds’ time and space. The Tide was able to generate a few promising counterattacks but their primary focus was on defense.
Former Berry College (Ga.) teammates Laura Harrison and Becky Ferguson and University of West Florida sophomore Kaley Morris were rock solid in the back for the Tide.
“We played really well,” said Tide midfielder Kyla Hoskins of Creighton University (Neb.). “We stuck to our system, a low pressure defense, and they had trouble getting around us.”
“We contained, we pulled back in the center, let them hold in their defensive third and then worked together as they got into our defensive third,” explained Harrison.
The Tide also received a quality performance from goalie Vanessa Peters, who finished with seven saves on 30 shots including three point-blank gems off Weimer, Bianca D’Agostino and Becky Ryan.
D’Agostino also hit the crossbar.
“Their goalie kept them in it,” said Reds president and assistant coach Lisa Cole, who was filling in Tony DiCicco. Former U.S. women’s national team coach DiCicco was in South Carolina at a U.S. National Team Under-20 camp along with a handful of Reds players.
The Reds broke the deadlock at the 62:30 mark when Weimer’s 30-yard free kick skipped past Peters with former University of Maine star Heather Hathorn of Scarborough making a run to the far post.
Hathorn was credited with the goal but she said “I never touched it.”
“I was trying to get it to one of our taller girls,” said Weimer.
“I messed up,” said Peters. “There were two people in front of me and I anticipated a deflection. They both missed it and I went to come out and get it but it just bounced past me. I didn’t have my body behind it.”
The insurance goal was world class as Weimer chested down Guess’ pass, flicked it up past Harrison and placed an 18-yarder into the top corner past the helpless Peters.
“I saw the goalie off her line so I chipped her,” said Weimer, whose shot sailed past Peters’ right hand with 7:30 left.
Hampden’s Kim Stephenson had Maine’s best chance in the first half but Joy McKenzie dove to her left to get her hands on Stephenson’s well-placed, left-footed effort from 22 yards out.
In the second half, Laura Harper’s long through-ball nearly sent Meg Willette in alone but alert goalie Jill Mastroianni slid out to smother it.
The Tide had three shots and all three were saved, two by McKenzie and one by Mastroianni.
“I was pleased with the effort,” said Tide coach Graham Chandler. “The girls worked really hard. They gave a good account of themselves.”
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