Women’s College Soccer No. 24 Western Connecticut Shuts Out Southern Maine 3-0

GORHAM, Maine  – Junior Myah Croze (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) had a goal and an assist and senior goalkeeper Karly Martin (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) turned in a spectacular performance in goal as No. 24 Western Connecticut State University defeated the University of Southern Maine Huskies 3-0 in a Little East Conference women’s soccer game Saturday afternoon at Hannaford Field. 

 

The Records: 

No. 24 Western Connecticut (16-1, 8-0 LEC)

Southern Maine (11-3-3, 4-3-1 LEC)

 

Western Connecticut, the 2021 Little East Conference regular season champion, finished the LEC portion of its schedule undefeated and will have a first-round bye in the upcoming LEC tournament championship.  Facing the Huskies for the 31^st time in series history, WestConn is 30-1 all-time versus USM. 

 

The Huskies have secured a spot in the Little East Conference tournament and look to be the fifth seed.  They will learn their opponent later today. 

 

How It Happened: 

·      Croze notched her conference-leading 24^th goal of the season in the 19^th minute, collecting a loose ball in the Huskies’ defensive third and cutting twice in the box to free up some space for a far post marker. 

·      Senior Marysia Slowik (Norwalk, Conn./Brien McMahon) doubled the WCSU advantage in the 31^sttapping the ball into the low right corner after Croze played the ball back from the touchline to a wide-open Slowik for the strike. 

·      WestConn made it 3-0 before the half as freshman Emma Sonski (Naugatuck, Conn.) scored her first goal of the season after dispossessing the Huskies’ goalkeeper on a ball played back, and pushing it across the line. 

·      The Huskies had several quality chances, and outshot WestConn 9-8 in the first half, but were unable to beat Martin. USM had three attempts on goal in quick succession in the 14^th minute.  USM senior Ciera Berthiaume (Windham, Maine) initiated the series with a powerful attempt but Martin went to ground to make the save. 

·      Huskies’ junior Emma Forgues (Gorham, Maine) looked to have the Huskies’ first goal early int the second half, sending one to the far post side, but Martin again made a diving stop and held on in difficult weather conditions. 

 

The Goalkeepers: 

·      Sophomore Bre Atwood (Franklin, Mass.) made nine saves in the loss.  She is 9-3-2 in her first regular season. Atwood was helped by a team save as sophomore Sarah Lowell (Oakland, Maine) cleared one off the line in the second half. 

·      Martin made 9 saves for WestConn, including seven in the first half, to earn the shut out. 

 

Up Next: 

Southern Maine awaits its seeding and pairing for the upcoming 2021 Little East Conference women’s soccer tournament championship.  Western Connecticut, the 2021 regular season champion, receives a first round bye.