Box Score ORONO, Maine – The Vermont field hockey team went blow-for-blow with #23 Maine but the Black Bears prevailed with a late goal, 2-1, in America East action Friday afternoon.
 
Maine clinches the right to host the America East Tournament with the win and moves to 12-3 (6-0, AE) while UVM falls to 11-4 (4-3, AE) on the season.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score | Box Score (.pdf)

COACH'S QUOTE

"It was great to see our payers create many threatening scoring opportunities today," head coach Kate Pfeifer said. "We need to clean up some of our circle defense, but overall, the group stuck to the game plan and particularly Haley Buffenbarger and Sophia Drees managed the game well. We had chances and it could have gone either way. I love seeing the fight in this group and how the level of play continues to rise at this critical point of in the season."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Maine struck first in the sixth minute of the contest when Sydney Meader finished an opportunity on an assist from Bhreagh Kennedy.
• Sophia Lefranc created the Cats' best chance in the first half. She intercepted a Maine pass, drove into the circle and fired a shot on Mia Borley (eight saves) who knocked it aside.
• Just after halftime UVM got the tying goal from Alina Gerke. After some nifty skill at the top of the circle, Sophia Drees found her fellow German at the penalty spot. Gerke made one quick move and roofed a shot for her fifth goal of the season.
• The Cats got caught on a counter with less than three minutes to play and Mallory Mackesy sent a screaming backhand shot past Sierra Espeland (seven saves) for the game-winner. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Drees picked up her 10^th assist of the season which puts her in a tie for second most all-time in a single season at UVM.
• Vermont outshot Maine 6-3 and out-cornered the Black Bears 6-1 in the first half.
• It is the second one-goal loss for the Catamounts in Orono in the last three trips.

UP NEXT
Vermont returns home on Sunday to take on Dartmouth at Moulton Winder Field. Action between the Cats and Big Green gets underway at noon.