The University of Maine men’s hockey team (14-9-4) hit the road for a two-game series against the Minutemen from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (11-14-1) Friday, Jan. 26 and Saturday, Jan. 27. The Black Bears took game one 3-2.

The Black Bears and Minutemen have played each other a total of 84 times prior to Friday’s game. Maine has the upper hand with a record of 54-21-9 in the series.

Starting between the pipes for the Black Bears was first-year Jeremy Swayman, who is currently tied for third among rookies with nine wins. His .926 save percentage is seventh in the nation, first in Hockey East and third nationally for all rookie goalies.

The starting goaltender for the Minutemen was first-year Matt Murray, who recorded his first career shutout with 24 saves in a 4-0 win over Merrimack College back in October.

Maine opened the scoring in the first period when first-year Eduards Tralmaks finished a play from second-year forwards Chase Pearson and Mitchell Fossier.

UMass answered when third-year Austin Levy netted his fourth goal of the season off of a power play.

The Minutemen struck again when second-year Griff Jeszka made it 2-1 for his second goal of the season with eight minutes to go in the period. After 20 minutes, UMass led in shots on goal, 12-6 and in face-offs won, 14-6.

In the second period, third-year defenseman Rob Michel scored his fourth goal of the season off of a rebound on a power play, assisted again by Pearson and Fossier, to make it 2-2 with 6:14 remaining in the period.

With 4:36 left in the period, UMass went on the power play after a cross-checking call but they could not capitalize on the man-advantage.

After 40 minutes of play, the Minutemen continued to lead in shots on goal, 17-16 and in face-offs won, 19-18.

In the third period, the Black Bears started off on the power play after an interference call.  However, they could not execute, keeping the score tied.

With 5:03 to go in the game, the Black Bears scored a shorthanded goal when fourth-year forward Cedric Lacroix got his third goal of the season, assisted by Michel.

UMass took a timeout with 1:39 remaining in the game, which resulted in them pulling the goalie for an extra player, but it was no use.

Swayman led the charge, recording 28 saves to Murray’s 21 for the Minutemen.

Black Bears finish sweep of Minutemen

The University of Maine men’s hockey team played their second game of a two-game series on Saturday, Jan. 27 against the Minutemen. In the game on Friday, the Black Bears scored a late third period goal to beat the Minutemen 3-2.

Starting in net again for the Black Bears was Swayman, who made seven saves in the third period on Friday to close out the win. Staring in net for the Minutemen was fourth-year Ryan Wischow, who made a season-high 47 saves against Quinnipiac University on Nov. 25.

Just 18 seconds into the first period, Pearson scored his fifth goal of the season to make it 1-0. Shortly after, UMass went to the power play after a Maine tripping call, but Maine was able to kill the penalty to hold on to the lead

The Minutemen answered back when first-year Mitchell Chaffee scored his 10th goal of the season to tie up the game after a pass from first-year Oliver Chau.

After 20 minutes of play, the Minutemen led in shots on goal, 18-11 and face-offs won, 15-11.

In the second period, the Black Bears scored, but the goal was overturned so the score remained tied with 15:08 remaining in the period.

The Black Bears responded to the overturned goal when first-year Emil Westerlund scored his sixth goal of the season, off of an assist from first-year Brady Keeper.

Maine made the score 3-1 when Pearson scored his second goal of the game and his sixth goal of the season off of an assist from Fossier and first-year Eduards Tralmaks with 6:32 left in the second period.

After 40 minutes, the Minutemen continued to lead in shots, 18-14 and in face-off wins, 25-20.

With 6:01 to go in the period, UMass went on the power play after a holding call on Maine. After two minutes on the man advantage, the Minutemen could not capitalize.

The Minutemen cut the deficit to one when first-year John Leonard scored his seventh goal of the season off of an assist from Chaffee on the power play.

With one minute left, UMass pulled Wischow for the extra player but nothing came of it. The Black Bears hung on to win 3-2.

The Black Bears return to the ice Friday, Feb. 2 and Saturday, Feb. 3 when they host Merrimack College. Puck drop for Friday is 7:30 p.m and puck drop for Saturday is scheduled for 7 p.m. UMass returns to the ice Friday, Feb. 2 when they host Boston University. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The Black Bear women’s hockey team (16-7-3) has been having a successful season so far, ranking No. 10 in rating percentage index. Before losing to Merrimack College on Friday, Jan. 19 and Saturday, Jan. 20, the team went on a nine-game winning streak. However, one player for the Black Bears has been a consistent threat for the past three years.

Brooke Stacey, a fourth-year sociology student from Kahnawake, Quebec, Canada has really made an impact these past three seasons. In her first-year campaign, the 5-foot-10-inch forward finished with three goals and 11 points. In her second year, she finished second in points scored in the season with 18. Last season, Stacey again finished second in points in the season, this time with 15 goals and 13 assists for a career-high 28 points. She was also the runner-up for best defensive forward.

“Coming into this year, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Our seasons have been different every year so I didn’t have many expectations. I think the key coming in was to just keep building confidence in my play, every year,” Stacey said.

Not only is this Stacey’s final season, but she is also a part of the leadership group for the Black Bears, along with third-years Cailey Hutchison and Alyson Matteau.

“Becoming an assistant captain has helped me become more positive on and off the ice. I don’t think there is any pressure coming because of that, I didn’t want that to happen because I don’t think I’d perform my best if I did.”

Stacey has been rewarded for her hard work at the collegiate level. For the second year in a row, she was invited to play for Team Canada at the 2018 Nations Cup in Fussen, Germany in January. Last year, she won a silver medal with the team at the same tournament and prior to Maine, she won a gold medal with the U18 Canadian National Team at the World Hockey Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

“The experience was great. We didn’t get the end result that we wanted but I think each player benefited from the experience in some form. Being able to represent Canada definitely builds my confidence for when I come back to play for Maine.”

Off the ice, Stacey is just as successful. In the classroom, she is a three-time honoree for Hockey East All-Academic Team. In order to be recognized, a student-athlete must achieve a grade point average of 3.0 or higher in each of the two semesters during which they were competing.

“It is hard to balance athletics and academics but managing your time is definitely the key to being successful both in the classroom and on the ice.”

The Black Bears are currently sitting third in Hockey East standings, just behind Providence College and Boston College. Last year, the team finished last in conference play with a record of 6-17-1. With only six games remaining in the season, every little bit counts.

“Lately, we’ve been pretty confident in our play. We know what we have to do to win and that is helping us. We had such a big change from last year to this year. I think we have more depth in our team and we are confident in our potential going forward.”

Confidence naturally comes with winning and performing at a high level. But it is easy for teams to get too confident when things are going their way for a long period of time.

“We do think about the standings because they are important. That being said, we don’t let it change our performance or attitude. The main goal as a team is to win Hockey East and to ultimately make it to the Frozen Four.”

As her time putting on that blue and white jersey comes to an end, Stacey has set a new goal for herself after college.

“I am not too sure what I am going to do after this year. I am going to try to place in the CWHL (Canadian Women’s Hockey League) and see where I go from there.”

The CWHL is a professional hockey league in Canada that was established in 2007. The league includes seven teams located in Canada, the United States and China. The Black Bears return to the ice Friday, Feb. 2 and Saturday, Feb. 3 when they take part in the border battle against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats. Puck drop is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Alfond.

The University of Maine men’s hockey team (8-7-1) traveled to Hamden, Conn. for a two-game series against the Quinnipiac Bobcats (6-10-2) on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 8 and 9. In the first game of the series, Maine defeated Quinnipiac 7-4. Friday’s game marked the 11th meeting between the two teams, with a record of 5-4-1 for the Black Bears.

Starting between the pipes for the Black Bears was first-year Jeremy Swayman. Swayman was November Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Month runner-up and is 5-3-1 with a .925 save percentage. The netminder was also recently named to the U.S. National Junior preliminary roster for the 2018 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championship.

Starting in net for the Bobcats was second-year Andrew Shortridge. He has started 12 of 13 games this season, while earning a record of 5-6-2 with a .921 save percentage.

In the first period, the Bobcats went on the powerplay early when Maine took a holding penalty, but the Bobcats couldn’t capitalize on the advantage. Shortly after, Quinnipiac struck first when third-year forward Scott Davidson scored his first goal of the season, assisted by second-year defenseman Karlis Cukste and third-year defenseman Luke Shiplo.

The Bobcats struck again when fourth-year forward Bo Pieper scored his third goal of the season by ripping a shot past Swayman. The goal was assisted by fourth-year Landon Smith. Quinnipiac continued the scoring when fourth-year forward Tanner MacMaster got his sixth goal of season with assists from first-year forward Odeen Tufto and third-year defenseman Chase Priskie, making it 3-0 at the midway point of the period.

Second-year forward Mitchell Fossier put Maine on the board when he switched to his backhand to put it past Shortridge for his 6th goal of the season. After 20 minutes of play, Quinnipiac led in shots on goal, 23-4 and in faceoffs won, 13-9.

In the second period, second-year forward Tim Doherty redirected a pass from fourth-year forward Canon Pieper for his fifth goal of the season to put the Black Bears within one. Then, second-year defenseman Patrick Holway capitalized on the powerplay to tie the game up at 3.

However, the Bobcats responded when Cukste scored with only 2:50 played in the third period. The goal was assisted by third-year forward Thomas Aldworth and second-year defenseman Brogan Rafferty. Shortly after, Maine tied the game up again when first-year forward Eduards Tralmaks scored his sixth goal of the season off of an individual effort.

The Black Bears kept coming when fourth-year forward Cedric Lacroix got his first goal of the season off of an assist from Holway, 5-4. Tralmaks then scored his second goal of the night 30 seconds later to put Maine up by two. Then, third-year forward Brendan Robbins got in on the fun when he increased the score to 7-4 late in the third period, which would turn out to be the last goal of the game.

Men’s hockey sweeps Quinnipiac University

The University of Maine men’s hockey team played their second game of the series against host Quinnipiac University on Saturday, Dec. 9. The Black Bears swept the Bobcats, with a win on Saturday, 5-3. Quinnipiac outshot the Black Bears in Friday’s game, 54-30. The Black Bears were also 2-for-2 on the man advantage and went 5-for-5 on the penalty kill.

Swayman (6-3-1) started in net again for the Black Bears. On Friday, Swayman made a career-high 50 saves in the 7-4 win for the Black Bears. Shortridge (5-7-2) started in net again for the Bobcats, having faced 23 shots in Friday’s tilt.

In the first period, the Bobcats went on the powerplay early when Maine took a hooking penalty, but the Bobcats couldn’t capitalize on the man advantage. The Bobcats got on the board first when second-year Logan Mick scored his third goal of the season off of a wrist shot off of the face-off, assisted by Davidson.

Maine then went to the power play when Quinnipiac took a tripping penalty with 7:59 remaining in the first period. After two minutes on the power play, the Black Bears couldn’t execute. After 20 minutes of play, Quinnipiac led in shots on goal, 20-5 and in faceoffs won,14-3.

In the second period, first-year Emil Westerlund put the Black Bears on the board midway through the period when he crashed the net and roofed Robbins’ rebound, 1-1. The goal was Westerlund’s. Shortly after, Quinnipiac went on the power play when Maine took an interference penalty. However, the Bobcats couldn’t convert.

The Black Bears then had a power play of their own when Quinnipiac took an interference penalty, but the Bobcats killed it off. Shortly after, second-year Ryan Smith tipped a shot from Lacroix to give Maine the lead with 4:05 remaining in the period.

Doherty scored a short-handed goal after finishing off a nice pass from Robbins to give the Black Bears a 3-1 lead late in the second period.

After 40 minutes of play, Quinnipiac led in shots, 38-16 and blocked shots, 10-9. Maine led in faceoffs won, 26-25.

In the third period, Quinnipiac opened the period with a goal from fourth-year Tanner MacMaster, assisted by Tufto and Landon Smith.  Quinnipiac struck again when MacMaster tied it up, with assists from Rafferty and Landon Smith.

Second-year Patrick Shea finished a rebound off of a shot from fourth-year Nolan Vesey with 24.4 seconds to go in the game. Quinnipiac then called a timeout to try to tie up the game. After the timeout, Lacroix sealed the deal with an empty net goal to finalize the score, 5-3.

The Black Bears return to the ice when they travel to Troy, NY. to play Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 29 and 30. Puck-drop is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. both days. Quinnipiac returns to the ice Tuesday, Jan. 2 when they travel to Hartford, Conn. to play the University of Connecticut. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

The University of Maine women’s basketball team (4-4) traveled to Toledo, Ohio to take on the University of Toledo Rockets (5-1) on Thursday, Nov. 30. The Black Bears lost a close game, 65-64. This was the second time in history that the Black Bears and Rockets have squared off, with Toledo leading the series after a championship win in the Miami Holiday Tournament back in December 2007.

In the first quarter, Maine got on the board first when redshirt third-year guard Tanesha Sutton made a layup after a steal. The Black Bears continued the scoring early, putting them up 8-1 with 8:04 remaining in the quarter. The Black Bears continued to press when they increased their lead; however, the Rockets also found some momentum, making the score 10-4.

After 10 minutes of play, the Black Bears led the Rockets 28-13. Second-year guard Julie Brosseau had 14 points in the first quarter for Maine. Maine led in field goal and three-point percentage. They also led in steals and rebounds, and forced seven turnovers.

In the second quarter, Brosseau continued to bring the heat when she made a jumper to increase her point streak to 16 points and to increase the score to 30-18. After 20 minutes of play, the Black Bears continued to lead the Rockets 35-26. Maine held the edge in field goal and three-point percentage. They also continued to lead in steals, 9-3 and in rebounds, 19-12.

Brosseau continued to lead the Black Bears with 16 points, followed by second-year Blanca Millan with 8. For Toledo, fourth-year Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott led with 8 points.

Maine struggled to get anything to fall in the second half, as their total shooting percentage and three-point shooting percentage were both under 20 percent. This allowed Toledo to come storming back after a slow start.

In the third quarter, Maine still continued to press and lead the Rockets. Sutton started off the scoring with a dribble to the hoop. At the end of the quarter, Maine led Toledo 42-36. Toledo started to gain some ground but Maine continued to lead in field goal and three-point percentage. However, the teams were tied for free-throw percentage. The Black Bears continued to lead in steals, 11-6. Brosseau continued to lead in points with 17, followed by Millan with 10 and Sutton with 7.

In the fourth quarter, Maine increased their lead to 10 with 4:31 remaining in the game when Brosseau hit a left-handed buzzer-beater. However, Toledo cut the deficit to two with less than a minute on the clock. They then tied it up with seconds to go in the game, resulting in overtim

In overtime, the score remained back and forth. However, Toledo took a three-point lead to increase the score to 65-62. Then Millan knocked down two free-throws to bring Maine within one. However, it was not enough. Brosseau finished with a career-high 26 points.

The Black Bears played No. 8 Ohio State University on Sunday Dec. 3 The Rockets return to the court Monday, Dec. 4 when they travel to New York to take on St. Bonaventure University. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Black Bears fall to Ohio State

The University of Maine women’s basketball team traveled to Columbus, Ohio to take on the Ohio State University Buckeyes (8-2) on Sunday, Dec. 3. The Black Bears had an unsuccessful trip, falling to the Buckeyes 83-70. This game marked only the second time these two teams have faced off, with Ohio State leading the series 1-0 after a victory in 1995.

In the first quarter, Maine got on the board first when second-year forward Fanny Wadling made a lay-up. The Buckeyes responded when redshirt fourth-year Stephanie Mavunga made a jump-shot to tie it up. Sutton then hit a three-pointer to put the Black Bears up, but the Buckeyes quickly responded.

After 10 minutes of play, the Black Bears trailed the Buckeyes 16-8. Brosseau and Sutton led the Black Bears in points, with three apiece. Ohio State led Maine in field goal  and three-point percentage. They also led in total rebounds, 16-9.

In the second quarter, the Buckeyes continued to increase their lead. With 6:33 remaining in the quarter, the Buckeyes led 22-11 when redshirt fourth-year Linnae Harper made a lay-up. Harper then made another lay-up but Brosseau answered with her fourth three-pointer of the half. The game continued to go back and forth when fourth-year Kelsey Mitchell nailed a three-pointer.

After 20 minutes of play, Ohio State led 35-24. They continued to lead in field goal (38.3 percent to 32.1 percent) and total rebounds, 28-16. Maine would lead in three point percentage, 35.3 percent to 18.8 percent. Brosseau led in points with 14, followed by Ohio State’s Harper with 8.

In the third quarter, Mavunga started off the quarter with a rebound. The Buckeyes fed off that momentum when they continued to increase their lead. Fourth-year Alexa Hart hit a jump shot to make the score 54-36. Sutton then responded with a jump-shot.

At the end of the quarter, Ohio State led 63-45. They continued to lead in field-goal percentage but Maine led in three-point percentage with the help of Brosseau, who had six three-pointers and 24 points. Mavunga finished the quarter with 22 points for the Buckeyes.

In the fourth quarter, Brosseau opened the scoring with a jump-shot. Sutton then reached a season-high 16 points, with 10 rebounds to notch her third double-double of the year. Brosseau also hit her seventh three-pointer of the game but it wasn’t enough to erase Ohio State’s lead.

The Black Bears return to the court Tuesday, Dec. 5 when they host Maine Maritime Academy at the Cross Insurance Centre. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. The Buckeyes return to the court Wednesday, Dec. 6 when they travel to Gainesville, Fla. to take on the University of Florida Gators. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

The University of Maine football team (4-6, 3-5) closed out their season by hosting the Stony Brook University Seawolves (9-2, 7-1) on Saturday, Nov. 18 for Senior Day. The Black Bears honored 24 seniors for their hard work and dedication over the past four years. The Black Bears lost a close one, 20-19. The Black Bears and Seawolves have met seven times prior to this game, with Maine holding a 4-2 advantage. Maine had won two games in a row versus the Seawolves prior to Saturday’s action.

Starting at quarterback for the Black Bears was redshirt first-year Chris Ferguson. Ferguson has played in nine games and has passed 1,808 yards thus far in his career. Last season, Ferguson was on the CAA All-Academic Team and was a Maine Scholar-Athlete Rising Star

Starting at quarterback for the Seawolves was third-year Joe Carbone. Last season, Carbone played in and started nine games at quarterback. He finished the season with 1,017 yards passing and three touchdowns.

In the first quarter, Ferguson made a 40-yard pass to second-year Ernest Edwards for the first touchdown of the game, making the score 6-0 with 7:03 left in the first. Maine then went for the two-point conversion but it was no good.

Ferguson then made a 25-yard gain for first in goal for the Black Bears, which then led to a Black Bear touchdown by second-year running back Josh Mack from three yards out, increasing the score to 12-0. The Black Bears then went for the two-point conversion but it was incomplete.

After 15 minutes of play, Maine led the Seawolves 12-0. They also led Stony Brook in total yards, 157-33, in rush yards, 38-16 and in pass yards, 119-17. Ferguson completed eight passes for 119 yards. Carbone had 17 yards and was 3-9.

Late in the second quarter, Stony Brook got on the board when third-year running back Donald Liotine made a rush for 10 yards, resulting a touchdown. Third-year Nick Courtney then kicked for the extra point conversion, increasing the score to 12-7 in favour of the Black Bears.

Maine then responded with 59-yard pass from Ferguson to fourth-year receiver Jared Osumah. Third-year Brandon Briggs then completed the extra point to increase Maine’s lead to 12 with 2:25 remaining the second quarter.

After 30 minutes of play, the score was 19-7. The Black Bears continued to lead the Seawolves in total yards, rush yards and pass yards. Ferguson had a total of 202 yards with two touchdown passes. Seawolves’ Carbone had a total of 18 yards for a rating of 39.4.

“We played hard but we just have to finish. They did some things but it was nothing special that we haven’t seen all year. We just have to execute,” fourth-year offensive lineman Jamil Demby said.

“I thought Maine played terrific defensively the entire game, they had us off balance. We ended up making plays offensively when the day was over. I thought offensively they have two big plays on us but other than that, our defense was terrific. We kept them pretty bottled up most of the game,” Stony Brook’s Head Coach Chuck Priore, stated.

After the third quarter, the Black Bears continued to lead 19-7. Maine continued to lead in total yards with 359, in rush yards with 125 and pass yards with 234. Ferguson was 15-24 with 234 total yards. Carbone completed 41 yards and was 6-21.

In the fourth quarter, Stony Brook made a 65-yard gain when Carbone completed a pass to graduate student Harrison Miller. Carbone then found third-year Donavin Washington for a touchdown. Courtney then went for the extra point conversion and it was good. The Seawolves decreased their deficit to five with 10:46 remaining in the game.

With 31 seconds on the clock, Carbone found Jackson for a 35-yard touchdown to give the Seawolves the win, 20-19.

“It was crucial first down and Carbone found me in the end zone. You just have to trust the process and trust your teammates. My teammates trust me and my coaches’ trust me. I just jumped up and caught the ball,” Jackson expressed.

“It was just another extremely disappointing loss for us. We played well for a lot of the game and it got away from us at the end. We didn’t make enough plays in the fourth quarter and it was a tough way to lose it,” Maine Head Coach Joe Harasymiak said.

The Black Bears finished their season with a home record of 3-2 and an away record of 1-4. The Seawolves finished their season with a home record of 5-1 and an away record of 4-1.

The University of Maine men and women’s swimming and diving teams competed in the Harold Anderson Invitational Meet at the University of Rhode Island on Friday, Nov. 17 and Saturday, Nov. 18. The meet consisted of Assumption College, Bryant University, Holy Cross University and Providence College. Last year, the men’s team finished second with 750 points and the women’s team finished fifth with 371.5 points.

After day one, in the women’s 400-yard medley relay, the University of Rhode Island finished first when fourth-year Hannah Homans, third-year Nicole Petta, second-year Caitlin Guccione and second-year MacKenna Dunn finished with a time of 3:49.64. Bryant University finished second with second-year Alaina Scifo, second-year Kayleigh Canavan, first-year Elin Svard and third-year Jillian Rice, with a time of 3:57.75.

The Black Bear women finished fifth with members third-year Megan McGillivray, second-year Sabrina Nuttall, fourth-year Victoria Kingston and fourth-year Juliana McDonald, with a time of 4:01.34.

In the men’s 400-yard medley relay, Bryant University finished first with a time of 3:25.02, followed by Providence College with a time of 3:28.33. The Black Bears finished fourth with members fourth-year Connor Mayhew, first-year Jack McNamara, second-year Calvin Cleworth and fourth-year Kevin Clyne, who finished with a time of 3:35.81.

The next event was the women’s 500-yard freestyle. Fourth-year Katherine Fallon finished first with a time of 5:03.09, followed by Assumption College’s second-year Colleen Kurtz with a time of 5:05.38. Third-year Shayla-Rose Kleisinger finished 14th with a time of 5:15.72, followed by first-year Emily Lund, who finished 19th. Third-year Gaby Murphy finished 22nd with a time of 5:23.90. Third-year Beatrix Lavigueur finished 25th with a time of 5:27.69.

The next event was the men’s 500-yard freestyle where Holy Cross University’s third-year Steven Tierney finished first with a time of 4:44.27. First-year Hayden Kasavicha for Maine finished 11th with a time of 4:59.46. Second-year Alexander Watson finished 14th with a time of 5:08.73. Third-year Jake Gutkes finished 17th with a time of 5:11.23, followed by first-year Andrew Plese who finished 18th.

In the women’s 200-yard IM, first-year Isabella Miko-Rydzaj placed first with a time of 2:09.48. Maine’s second-year Ines Khiyara finished 13th with a time of 2:14.40, which was followed by first-year Caroline Strolic, who finished with a time of 2:14.59.

In the men’s 200-yard IM, Bryant University’s fourth-year Benjamin Schulte finished first with a time of 1:54.44. First-year Kazu Temple finished eighth for Maine with a time of 2:00.89. Third-year Coulter Morrill finished 11th for Maine with a time of 2:02.99.

In the women’s 50-yard Freestyle, Holy Cross’s fourth-year Catherine Conners finished first with a time of 24.49. Maine’s fourth-year Emily Borger finished 11th with a time of 24.78, followed by second-year Emily Blair and McDonald.

In the men’s 50-yard freestyle, Providence College finished first with a time of 21.54. Maine’s Clyne finished 8th with a time of 22.25, followed by first-year Andy Sprague, who finished 13th for the Black Bears.

In the women’s 200-yard freestyle relay, the Black Bear’s finished first with a time of 1:38.03. The team consisted of Borger, Blair, McDonald and second-year Rita Chen. For the men, Providence College finished first with a time of 1:26.69. Maine placed sixth with a time of 1:30.48.

For the women’s 1-meter diving, Providence College’s Kendall Jerzyk finished first with a final score of 249.10. Maine’s Emily Neville finished 13th with a final score of 121.95. In men’s 3-meter diving, Bryant University’s Trevor Hazlewood finished first with a final score of 246.50. Maine’s first-year Ben Sturgis finished sixth with a score of 178.65.

After combining the two days of competition, Bryant led the men with a score of 888, followed by Providence College with 832. Maine finished third with a score of 687. For the women, Rhode Island finished first with a score of 788, followed by Bryant, with a score of 601. Maine finished sixth with a score of 415.

The Black Bears return to the pool Dec. 1 and 2 when they travel to Brunswick, Maine for the Maine State Meet. Rhode Island returns to the pool Thursday, Nov. 30 when they travel to Atlanta for the AT&T USA Winter Nationals.

The University of Maine women’s basketball team (1-1) kicked off their season Friday, Nov. 10 when they hosted the University of Tulane Green Wave (1-0). Tulane has already played two exhibition games and won both of them. Maine fell to Tulane 42-34 in a back-and-forth battle. This was the fourth time these two teams have met, leaving Tulane with the upper hand with two wins over the Black Bears.

In the first quarter, the Black Bears got on the board first when first-year guard Dor Saar made a nice layup. Maine continued the momentum when redshirt third-year guard Tanesha Sutton let off a shot, giving the Black Bears an early lead. Sutton then went to the line and converted on both free throws, making it 5-0 early in the quarter.

The Green Wave finally got on the board when first-year Sierra Cheatham made a three-pointer. The Black Bears then answered back when Sutton converted on her chance. Tulane then answered back with a three-pointer from fourth-year Kolby Morgan, making the score 8-7.

Second-year guard Julie Brousseau increased Maine’s lead to three when she made a nice jump shot just inside of the arch. Second-year guard Blanca Millan increased Maine’s lead to five when she capitalized on an open shot.

Morgan then went to the line after a Maine foul and she converted on both, making the score 12-10 at the end of the first quarter. After 10 minutes of play, the Black Bears led the Green Wave in steals and field goal percentage.

In the second quarter, Tulane struck first when they converted off of a jump shot from just inside the key. The Black Bears responded when Millan made a nice layup for her fifth point of the night. Tulane then made yet another three-pointer, giving them a one-point lead.

However, the Black Bears responded with a jumper from Saar, putting them in front by one. At the half, the Black Bears trailed the Green Wave 19-16. The Black Bears led in field goal percentage with 28. Both teams were tied in turnovers and defensive and offensive rebounds. Sutton and Millan both had five points at the half.

“Yeah, we were getting open shots but weren’t executing the plays, they just weren’t falling. We just need to focus on our next game but my teammates are capable of making those shots at anytime but they just weren’t falling today,” Sutton explained.

In the third quarter, Maine started off with some nice passing that resulted in a basket for Sutton. Tulane then quickly answered back with a layup from third-year Tene Thompson.

“Congrats to Tulane, it wasn’t the prettiest game you’ll ever see. I was happy with our defense, I thought we did really well on that. Anytime you hold a team to 42 points, you’re in a pretty good position to win the game. Unfortunately for us, offense was hard to come by,” Maine’s Head Coach Amy Vachon said.

First-year Kelly Fogarty checked into the game and quickly made a three-pointer for her first points ever in a Maine uniform to tie the game. The Green Wave answered back with quick passes to increase their lead to three.

Sutton then went up for the shot and got fouled, resulting in two free throws. Sutton made both, tying the game at 24 and increasing her point count to 13. With just seconds to go in the quarter, third-year Parise Rossignol hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to put Maine up by two at the end of the third quarter.

“They switched up the defenses a few times so it took us a little bit of time to get our offence going. I thought it was a really hard fought battle for both sides. Everybody played every play and it was really intense throughout the whole game and it was close,” Morgan said.

In the fourth quarter, Tulane went to the line and converted one of two free throws, putting them ahead by one. Maine took the lead when Sutton found second-year forward Fanny Wadling in the key. Tulane retook the lead when they made a three-pointer with 2:16 remaining in the game and they would keep their lead for the remainder of it.

“We feel really fortunate to come out with a win, I thought it was one of those games that was a defensive battle, neither team shot great. I’m proud of my kids, we had a lot of young players rotating through the lineup so I’m glad we finished it how we did,” Tulane University Head Coach Lisa Stockton said.

Maine will look to pick up their first win on Saturday, Nov. 11 against the loser of the Dayton versus Harvard game. Tulane will play the winner of that game, also playing on Nov. 11.

Women’s basketball downs Harvard University

The University of Maine women’s basketball team played their second game of the season, playing host to Harvard University Crimson (0-2) on Saturday, Nov. 11 to close out the Tip-Off Tournament. The Black Bears came out on top 76-51. The Black Bears played Harvard last season and lost a close game, 69-62. Both teams came into the game off a loss.

In the first quarter, the Black Bears fouled early, sending second-year forward Jeannie Boehm to the line. She converted both foul shots, giving the Crimson an early two-point lead. Maine responded with a three-pointer from Saar.

Harvard then responded with two quick baskets, both from in between the arc, giving them a 6-3 lead. Fourth-year Taylor Rooks was the sent to the line where she converted both of her free-throws, increasing Harvard’s lead to five.

Maine then responded when second-year guard Julie Brosseau made a three-pointer, decreasing the lead to just two with a little over five minutes to go in the first quarter. Millan then tied the game with an easy layup.

Fourth-year forward Kirsten Johnson made a beautiful pass to Millan, cutting through the key to give Maine a two-point lead. Brosseau then increased the lead when she converted on a three-point chance with less than two minutes to go in the quarter.

Brosseau then went to the line after a Harvard foul where she converted both free throws. Millan then intercepted a Harvard pass which led to an easy layup, making it 17-8. With 3.1 seconds left, first-year Jadyn Bush was sent to the line where she made both free throws, making the score 17-10.

In the second quarter, Sutton put up a nice rebound off a shot from Brosseau to increase the lead to nine. Then second-year guard Katie Benzan made a swift move in the key for two points.

Third-year guard Madeline Raster made a nice jumper just inside the arch to cut the deficit to five. Rooks then drove to the basket, making the score 19-16. Sutton was sent to the line where she converted on one of two free throws.

Brosseau then found Millan for her first three-pointer of the game. However, Harvard responded with a three-pointer. Millan then hit her second three of the game to give Maine a four-point lead with less than five minutes to go in the first half.

“We were ready after a tough loss like yesterday where we didn’t make shots. We knew we have to make those shots. We have great shooters and we knew we were going to have a lot of open shots,” Millan said.

Brosseau then put Maine up by nine when she hit a three-pointer for her 11th point of the game. At the half, Maine led Harvard 42-33. Maine led Harvard in field goal and three-point percentage and in rebounds. Millan was a perfect 7-7 from the field.

In the third quarter, Rossignol hit a three-pointer to increase the lead to 14. Sutton then made a nice steal and dished the ball off to Millan, who made no mistake with the layup. Maine continued to buzz when Brosseau made a beautiful play down low, making it 53-35.

Raster then went to the line after a Sutton foul. Raster executed one of two. Saar then hit a perfect three to increase the lead to 20 with less than five to go in the quarter. Raster followed by hitting a three-pointer but Maine responded with a bucket. The Black Bears come out of the quarter with a 58-40 lead.

Saar started off the fourth quarter with a three-pointer. Millan then made a nifty spin move to beat her defender, increasing the lead to 23. Millan would hit a three to continue the Maine double-digit lead.

Third-year Sydney Skinner then went to the line and converted on both throws. However, Millan responded with yet another three.

First-year Kira Barra then went to the line for her first ever collegiate free throws and she converted on both. Fogarty then hit a three-pointer to increase the lead to 25. The Black Bears held onto their lead. Millan was selected to the All-Tournament Team when it was all said and done.

“I was really pleased with how they came out. It could have been really easy to be discouraged and deflated after yesterday’s loss but our team came out ready. I really love our defense. Today, we played man to man, yesterday we switched it up and went man/zone. They got after it,” Vachon stated.

Shooting improved for Maine in this game, as the team shot 44.4 percent from the floor, including 43.3 percent from three point range and 87.5 percent from the free throw line.

The Black Bears return to the court Tuesday, Nov. 14 when they host Bryant University at the Cross Insurance Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Harvard is back in action Wednesday, Nov. 15 when they host Siena College. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The No. 25 University of Maine field hockey team (12-5) traveled to Burlington, VT. on Friday, Oct. 27 to take on the University of Vermont Catamounts (5-11) in their last game of the regular season. The Black Bears defeated the Catamounts 1-0. The last time these two teams met was on Oct. 8 when the Black Bears hosted the Catamounts and beat them 4-0. Maine has topped Vermont in the last 12 times they’ve played each other since 1991. Third-year Libby Riedl is ranked 16th in assists per game (.67).

Starting in goal for the Black Bears was redshirt fourth-year Emma Cochran. Cochran was recently named America East Defensive Player of the Week after getting a shutout against the University of Albany on Oct. 22.

Starting in goal for the Catamounts was fourth-year Lena Benwood from North Vancouver, British Columbia. This season, Benwood has played in 11 games, making 85 saves and allowing an average of 2.29 goals per game. Cochran is also ranked 10th in goalkeeper win-loss percentage (.733).

In the first half, Maine put on the pressure but couldn’t capitalize on their chances. After 35 minutes of play, the game remained scoreless. The Black Bears led the Catamounts in shots on goal, 5-0. Maine also had two penalty corners but couldn’t convert.

Early in the second half, Cochran came up big when she made a diving stop on a dangerous Vermont attack, keeping the shutout alive. The Catamounts fed off of that opportunity and started to gain some attacking ground.

Third-year Casey Crowley made a run down the field with the ball and made a shot on goal but Benwood made a sprawling save. However, Benwood let out a rebound that second-year Brittany Smith pounced on and fired it top shelf over the shoulder of Benwood for her third goal of the season, making it 1-0 in the 59th minute of play. The Black Bears would go onto win, increasing their winning streak to five games. Maine led Vermont in shots on goal, 8-4.

Next up for the Black Bears will be their Senior Day matchup against the University of New Hampshire on Sunday.

Maine field hockey falls to the University of New Hampshire

The University of Maine field hockey team hosted the University of New Hampshire Wildcats (7-11) on Sunday, Oct. 29. Unfortunately, Maine fell short, losing 2-1. The last time these two teams met was on Oct. 13 when the Black Bears beat the Wildcats 4-3. After today’s game, the Black Bears and the University of Albany are co-champions of the America East Conference. The Wildcats are currently in third place in the America East conference. The Black Bears are coming off of a five-game winning streak after defeating Vermont on Oct. 27.

It was senior day at the field hockey complex and the Black Bears were honoring Cochran, Madison Cummings and Emily Corbett. These seniors have led the Black Bears to a 53-25 record over the last four years.

Starting in goal for the Black Bears was Cochran who has had back to back shutouts prior to this weekend’s game and has held teams scoreless for the last 194 minutes. This scoreless streak has been the longest one in three years.

Starting in goal for the Wildcats was third-year North Grafton, Mass. native, Kelsey Rudert. Rudert has played in all 16 games this season, with a save percentage of .613 and a goals against average of 2.91.

In the first half, Maine had a few chances early but couldn’t capitalize. The game quickly became a back and forth battle when the Wildcats started to generate some offence of their own. Maine came very close to scoring when Riedl made a swift pass to Cummings but Rudert came up big with the save.

With 11:47 into the half, Maine received a good opportunity when they earned their first penalty corner of the game. Unfortunately, the Black Bears couldn’t execute which resulted in a loss of possession. The Wildcats were starting to press Maine in their own half, which caused a few turnovers.

Because of their pressing, New Hampshire earned three penalty corners in a row, but didn’t capitalize on any of them. However, the play remained in Maine’s half for the majority of the end of the half, which resulted in offensive opportunities for the Wildcats, but Cochran stood her ground to keep the game scoreless.

With seven minutes to go in the half, Maine capitalized on an offensive rush but it was deemed no goal by the officials. However, Maine fed off of that momentum when Riedl assisted on a Cummings goal with five minutes to go before half time. It was Cummings’ seventh goal of the season and Riedl’s 14th assist of the season.

The Wildcats then had their last chance before the end of the half when they earned a penalty corner with one minute left on the clock, but they couldn’t finish. After 35 minutes of play, Maine led in shots on goal, 9-5.

In the second half, New Hampshire came out buzzing when they started to generate a lot of offense early in the half. There was a scramble in Maine’s circle, causing Cochran to have to dive out of position, leaving the net wide open. The Wildcats tried to take advantage of the empty net but they couldn’t get a shot off.

The Wildcat pressure continued and resulted in a goal when third-year Katie Audino put the ball passed a sprawling Cochran, making it 1-1 in the 50th minute.

“Because it was senior day, I’m still very proud of our season and to be able to finish co-champions of our conference and win a conference championship, it’s only been our third year and this is the second time for the senior class. We now have to shift over to playoff mode,” Maine Head Coach Josette Babineau said.

The back and forth action continued for a big portion of the half, resulting in lots of chances for both teams. New Hampshire then converted on a penalty corner after a Maine foul. The goal was scored by first-year forward Bloem van den Brekel and assisted by Audino in the 64th minute, changing the score to 2-1.

“I was pretty proud of our performance. Maine is obviously a very strong team, they beat us in Durham. We were hoping we could generate a little bit more of an attack this game and I was really pleased with how we came out in the second half,” New Hampshire Head Coach Robin Balducci said.

The Wildcats kept their foot on the gas, creating several chances that made Maine’s defense work. Towards the end of the game, Maine decided to pull their goalie to try and even the score. With one minute left in the game, the Black Bears earned a penalty corner. There was a scramble right in front of the net but Maine couldn’t get it passed Rudert, resulting in a 2-1 loss.

“It was a really tough loss but we’re still conference champions so we’re just trying to go out with a positive. We’re playing the west teams now so we’re just going to watch a lot of film and get ready for the tournament,” Cummings said.

The Black Bears and the Wildcats return to the field when they travel to the University of Massachusetts Lowell for the America East Conference Championships. The first-round of the tournament will be played on Thursday, Nov. 2 and Friday, Nov. 3.

The University of Maine men’s hockey team (2-2-0) hosted two games against the Miami Univeristy (Ohio) Redhawks (1-3-0) on Friday, Oct. 20. The Black Bears fell to the Redhawks 7-5. The Black Bears and Redhawks met eight times prior to this weekend, with the Black Bears leading the series of 5-2-1.

On Friday, starting between the pipes for the Black Bears was third-year Weymouth, Mass. native, Rob McGovern. McGovern played in 29 games last year, starting in 28 of them and earning a .912 save percentage. He also earned the first shutout of his college career against the University of Connecticut. The net minder recently attended the 2017 Boston Bruins NHL Development Camp.

In net for the Redhawks was second-year Clarkson, Mich. native, Ryan Larkin. Larkin started 33 of 36 games last season and went 8-16-7 with 2.77 goals against average and a .910 save percentage.

For the Black Bears, starting on defense was third-year Rob Michel and first-year Veli-Matti Tiuraniemi. The starting forwards for Maine were second-year Chase Pearson, third-year Nashua, Brendan Robbins and second-year Mitchell Fossier.

The fans got involved early when just three minutes into the game, Maine rang one off the post. However, it was the Redhawks who struck first 5:16 into the first period, when second-year forward Karch Bachman put it past McGovern. Miami fed off the momentum when second-year forward Gordie Green made it 2-0 just 19 seconds later.

With 3:02 remaining in the period, Maine had a two-man advantage when Miami took cross-checking and hooking penalties. However, the Black Bears couldn’t capitalize on the five on three. After 20 minutes of play, Maine trailed Miami 2-0. They also trailed in shots on goal, 19-7 and face-offs won, 16-11.

In the second period, Miami struck early again, having only played two minutes, when third-year defenseman Grant Hutton blasted a shot over the shoulder of McGovern for his second goal of the season, making it 3-0.

The Black Bears had another power play when Miami took a two-minute penalty for slashing. Maine finally capitalized when Tiuraniemi put it past a sprawling Larkin, scoring his first goal in a Black Bear uniform. The goal was assisted by first-year defenseman Alexis Binner and fourth-year forward Canon Pieper.

The Black Bears were just getting started. They ran the score to 3-2 when Robbins converted on an assist by Michel, completely shifting the energy in the Alfond.

The Redhawks put their foot back on the gas when Hutton scored his second goal of the night and his third of the season, making it 4-2 with 12:33 remaining in the second period.

Maine kept coming when Fossier jumped on an open puck in the crease, just slipping the puck over the goal line and past Larkin. The goal was assisted by second-year forward Patrick Shea  and Pieper.

The game was quickly turning into a back and forth battle when Miami’s third-year forward  Kiefer Sherwood scored with less than three minutes to go in the period. Miami felt the momentum when fourth-year defenseman Louie Belpedio converted on the power play for his first goal of the season, making it 7-3 to end the second period.

At the end of the second period, Miami continued to lead in shots on goal, 35-13 and face offs won, 33-20.

To start off the third period, Maine made a goalie change, putting first-year Anchorage, Alaska native Jeremy Swayman in for McGovern, who faced 26 shots. However, just eight seconds into the period, Green had a breakaway and made no mistake putting it five-hole on Swayman, making it 7-4.

Maine then went on the powerplay early when Miami went off for a hooking penalty. The Black Bears capitalized on the advantage when first-year Eduards Tralmaks put a clapper right by Larkin, scoring his first goal of his collegiate campaign, making it 7-4.

Michel then made it 7-5 when his wrist shot from the point went right over the Larkin’s glove. The goal was his second of the season.

“We took some unnecessary penalties that caused us some problems and we didn’t manage the puck the way we needed to and that also caused us some problems,” Maine Head Coach Red Gendron said. “It really just comes down to that, consistency of getting over top of the puck, as opposed to reaching in with your stick. We need to make some adjustments for tomorrow night’s game for sure.”

Unfortunately, Maine could not fill the two-goal deficit as they would go on to lose 7-5 in game one of the two game series.

“I thought it was a really exciting college hockey game. Both teams played hard tonight, we got some good extra bounces. This is a tough place to play in. I thought we did a lot of good things and I thought they did a lot of good things. It’s a funny game, sometimes it just comes down to bounces,” Enrico Blasi, the head coach of Miami, said.

The two teams will square off again Saturday night.

University of Maine men’s hockey ties Miami series

Maine played their second game against the Miami University (Ohio) on Saturday, defeating the Redhawks 6-3 to tie the series.

Getting the start between the pipes for the Black Bears was Swayman, who replaced McGovern for the third period in Friday’s loss, finishing with two saves.

Larkin was back between the pipes for the Redhawks. He finished Friday night’s game with 20 saves while allowing five goals.

Maine struck early when Tralmaks capitalized on an offensive rush. The goal was assisted by Fossier and Pearson. The Black Bears then converted on a power play goal by second-year defenseman Patrick Holway, assisted by Fossier and first-year defenseman Brady Keeper, running the score to 2-0 early.

“We knew we needed to start big and play Maine hockey. I got the puck and I put it in the net and got the boys going. Tonight, the team played really good hockey,” Tralmaks said.

Maine scored again when Keeper ripped a one-timer from the top of the left circle, making it 3-0 8:07 into the first period. The goal was assisted by Tralmaks.

The Black Bears then made it 4-0 when Holway made a slick pass to Shea.

Maine then converted on the power play when Fossier hit a one-timer right over the shoulder of Larkin to make it 5-0. The goal was assisted by Keeper and Holway.

“Friday night we didn’t do the little things right but tonight we did. It was nice having Patrick Holway back, he’s one of our top defensemen, you guys saw it tonight. He made some unbelievable plays and he’s just solid back there defensively,” Fossier stated.

Miami finally got on the board when first-year forward Phil Knies put it past a sprawling Swayman, making it 5-1 to end the period.

In the second period, Maine made it 6-1 when second-year forward Tim Doherty patiently wrapped around the goalie and tucked it in an open net.

Miami then had a 5 on 3, which resulted in a power play goal by Hutton, making it 6-2. It was Hutton’s fourth goal of the season.

The Redhawks pulled their goalie with 5:16 left in the game, hoping to fill the four-goal deficit. They then converted on a Black Bear penalty when Hutton put a wrist shot over the shoulder of Swayman, making it 6-3. The final horn blared with that score standing.

“It was a good response from the team, everyone responded well, I’m very pleased. The penalty kill was much better,” Gendron said.

The Black Bears return to the ice Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28 when they host the University of Minnesota Duluth. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday and 7:30 p.m.on Saturday. The Redhawks return to the ice Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28 when they host the University of Connecticut. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:35 and 7:05 p.m.

The University of Maine football team (1-3) traveled to Villanova, Pa. to take on the No. 12  Wildcats from Villanova University (4-2). Unfortunately, Maine fell short, losing 31-0. This game was the 21st time the teams have played one another. The Black Bears are 9-11 against the Wildcats.  Last year, the Black Bears fell to the Wildcats 26-7.

Villanova won the toss but chose to defend first. Starting at quarterback for Maine was first-year redshirt Chris Ferguson, from Fort Washington, Pa. This season, Ferguson has started all three games so far, having completed six touchdown passes.

Making his first career start at quarterback for Villanova was first-year redshirt Jack Schetelich from Cranford, N.J. Last year, Schetelich was named to the Colonial Athletic Association Football All-Academic Team.

In the first quarter, Villanova got on the board early. Schetelich found first-year redshirt tight end Todd Summers for 20 yards for his first career catch. Second-year kicker Drew Kresge then completed the extra point conversion, making it 7-0 Villanova with 7:52 remaining in the quarter.

After 15 minutes of play, Villanova led 7-0. Both teams were tied at three for first downs. Maine led Villanova in time of possession and total plays, with 7:51 and 16 respectively.

In the second quarter, Villanova struck again. Maine fumbled the ball, leading to a turnover and a touchdown for the Villanova defense. It was a 99-yard fumble return by first-year defensive back Jaquan Amos, making it 14-0 with 8:42 left in the quarter. This return was the third 99-yard fumble return in FCS football history and the first since 2006.

Villanova converted again when fourth-year wide receiver Taurus Phillips from Beacon, N.Y. ran for an 11-yard rushing touchdown. Kresge then converted the extra point, increasing the score to 21-0 with 6:55 to go in the second quarter.

At halftime, Villanova led Maine 21-0. The Black Bears continued to lead the Wildcats in rush yards, pass yard and total yards, 27-20, 138-49 and 165-69 respectively. However, the Wildcat defense forced three first-half turnovers.

In the third quarter, Villanova struck yet again. Schetelich made a 12-yard run resulting in a touchdown, increasing the lead to 28-0 with 8:53 remaining in the quarter.

Ferguson was later replaced by fourth-year Max Staver, from Brentwood, Tenn. Staver made his first appearance when Maine hosted Bryant.

In the fourth quarter, Kresge converted a 46-yard field goal for Villanova, making the score 31-0 with nine minutes left in the game. After that, there was no more scoring for the remainder of the game.

Maine returns to the field Saturday, Oct. 14 when they take on the University of Rhode Island at home for homecoming weekend. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Villanova returns to the field Saturday, Oct. 14 when they travel to Harrisonburg, Va. to take on James Madison University. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.