The first-year Maine Tide has played two of the Women’s Premier Soccer League’s best teams so far. The task doesn’t get any easier today when the New England Mutiny invade Husson College’s Boucher Field for a 2 p.m. contest.

Tony Horta’s Mutiny is 2-0, outscoring their opponents 9-1, and feature four-time All-American and former Boston Breakers (WUSA) midfielder Mary-Frances Monroe, who already has five goals and two assists.

Monroe, the head coach of the University at Albany in America East, played three years at Connecticut before transferring to UCLA for her senior year. She is one of 10 Mutiny players with ties to UConn.

The Mutiny has beaten New York AC 4-0 and the Massachusetts Stingers 5-1.

The Mutiny is the defending Eastern Conference champion. UConn-bound Karen Gurnon and Erin Clark, who was an All-New England first-team selection at UConn last fall, each have a goal and an assist and goalie Lauren Luckey of the University of Massachusetts has allowed just one goal while making six saves in two games.

Defender Sarah MacIsaac, who started all 22 games for NCAA tournament quarterfinalist UConn last season, has a younger sister Kaitlyn who will be a freshman at the University of Maine this fall.

The Tide has received solid play from backs Becky Ferguson and Laura Harrison, midfielders Kim Stephenson and Kyla Hoskins and strikers Laura Harper and Christine LaBelle. Harper has scored the team’s lone goal.

Impressive defender Kaley Morris has been slowed by a heel injury. Goalkeeper Vanessa Peters has allowed four goals and made 11 saves in two games.

The Tide has lost to Soccer Plus (Conn.) 2-0 and AC Diablos (N.J.) 3-1.

lmahoney@bangordailynews.net

990-8231