The University of Maine women’s soccer team is in danger of missing the America East playoffs for the first time in six years and the Black Bears will need to win their final two games, both at home, to stand a legitimate chance of earning a berth.
UMaine, 4-9-1 overall and 2-4 in the league, entertains Binghamton (9-3-4, 3-2-1 AE) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Mahaney Diamond before awaiting UMass Lowell (5-5-5, 2-2-2 AE) at 1 p.m. Sunday.
The Black Bears are in eighth place in the nine-team conference and the top six qualify for the postseason.
It has been a frustrating season for head coach Scott Atherley’s team, which has lost seven, one-goal games including four in overtime.
In overtime losses to Brown, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the Black Bears surrendered the tying goals with less than 10 minutes to play. League leader UNH tied UMaine with three seconds left before winning in extra time.
Sophomore goalkeeper Annalena Kriebisch sustained a season-ending leg injury in the 1-0 loss to Vermont on Oct. 8. Prior to the season, All-AE first-team midfielder and former AE Rookie of the Year Vivien Beil transferred to the University of Connecticut where she is tied for the team scoring lead with three goals and five assists.
“The way we’re approaching it is we have nothing to lose,” said Atherley, who is in his 19th season.
The Black Bears have a distinct challenge because they are facing the league’s top goal scorers in Binghamton’s Kayla Saager and UMass Lowell’s Rachel Morrier. Each has scored 11 goals.
UMaine senior midfielder Kendra Ridley will draw the marking assignments.
“Kendra is very patient and has long legs,” said Atherley. “We have to be aware of them (Saager and Morrier). We’ve got to be quick in transition and we have to capitalize on our restarts. We’ve scored four goals off corners.”
Ottawa native Ridley, junior back Mikayla Morin of South Paris and Norwegian sophomore Emilie Andersen, a midfielder, have been standouts for UMaine according to Atherley. Junior Samantha Cobotic has replaced Kriebisch in goal and must play well. She has allowed five goals in her two games to date.
Mack joins watch list
STATS LLC announced Wednesday that UMaine football team sophomore running back Josh Mack has been added to the Walter Payton Award Watch List.
The Walter Payton Award is presented annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) of college football.
Mack, who has rushed for 200-plus yards twice this season, is the nation’s leader in rushing yards per game (154.4). He ranks second in FCS with 772 rushing yards and is the Colonial Athletic Association’s leader in yards per carry (6.89). Mack is second in the CAA with five rushing touchdowns.
Mack, who is third in the nation while averaging 167.0 all-purpose yards, recently became just the second Black Bear since 1989 to post two 200-yard rushing games in a single season and is a two-time recipient of the CAA Offensive Player of the Week award.