CMCC Earns First Result Against UMFK

Auburn, ME – CMCC Women's Soccer picked up its first result in program history against UMaine-Fort Kent, earning a 1-1 draw with the Bengals at home on Thursday night. The visitors took the lead early in the game, but Mikayla Martorano scored in the 52^nd minute to even things up, and neither team found a winner in the second half.

"I'm proud of how we responded to going down a goal early in the game," said head coach Rob Rodriguez. "They are a very good possession team, something that we don't see a lot of at this level. I'm happy with the intensity that we played with to put pressure on the ball and get an equalizer. It's a good result for us, and I hope we can continue to play this way as we head toward the postseason."

It was a match-up of top ten ranked teams in their respective divisions with UMFK coming in as #3 in the latest USCAA D1 poll, while CMCC is tied at #8 in USCAA D2. The Bengals looked the stronger team from kick-off, possessing the ball early and getting two corner kicks in the opening four minutes.

It was the second of the set pieces that led to their goal. Petagay Dixon served the ball into the mixer in six-yard box, only to see it bounce all the way through to the back post. Rosaria Talbot was in the right place, side-footing her volley over the hands of goalkeeper Devyn Eliasen and under the crossbar. The goal in the 4^th minute of play made it 1-0 and seemed to set the stage for what could have been a long afternoon for the hosts.

Shylah Francis nearly made it 2-0 in the 12^th minute. A beautiful through pass put her one-one-one with the keeper, but Eliasen dove to her right and got her fingertips on the ball to push the shot around the post.

The Mustangs weathered the early onslaught of pressure and grew into the game as the half went along. Gloria San Pedro tackled the ball away in midfield and almost caught goalkeeper Dreanna Thaw off her line before her shot was stopped. Substitutes Olivia Varney, Lily Caban, and Ksenya Sorterup also generated offense after their introduction.

By the end of the first half, Central Maine was dominating possession and looked likely to tie it up. Alaynah LeBlond had a pass set her up inside the box but could only blaze her left-footed effort well wide. Martorano pounced on a miscue to set up a shot from the left side of the penalty area, but her effort was closed down and knocked away by Thaw.

Both teams came out looking to play positively in the second half, and the hosts finally got their breakthrough six minutes after the restart. LeBlond lobbed a pass over the top looking for Caban. It bounced through towards Martorano who got to it as defender Lillian Clarke attempted to clear it away. The transfer forward from SMCC took it off her chest and chipped a shot over the goalkeeper and into the right side of the net, tying things up at 1-1. It was the third goal of the season for the Gorham, ME native and second against UMaine-Fort Kent this season.

Both teams spent the final half hour working the ball up-and-down the field, creating opportunities at both ends. The Mustangs had the best chance at a winner with 7:30 remaining. Caban spotted Varney open down the left wing for a marauding run. The sophomore midfielder played a perfect pass in behind the defense for reigning USCAA Player of the Week Jaelyn Poitras to run onto. The Windham, ME native beat Thaw to the ball but hooked her shot wide of the left post with the keeper closing her down.

The draw was the second close contest the Mustangs had played against the Bengals this season, after falling 2-1 on the road to UMFK two weeks ago. It was the first tie between the programs with Fort Kent winning the previous six matches dating back to 2021.

Women's Soccer next prepares for its final nonconference game of the season this weekend, when the Mustangs travel to NCAA DIII opponent Vermont State University-Johnson on Sunday. CMCC then plays three of its final four YSCC contests on the road, as they head towards the playoffs.