ORONO, Maine – The UAlbany field hockey team stands alone in first place in the East Division of America East play with a 2-0 win at Maine on Friday afternoon.
With goals scored in each half, UAlbany (11-5, 4-1 AE) shut out Maine (11-6, 4-2 AE) to win its eighth game in nine contests. UAlbany has a one-game advantage, and the head-to-head tiebreaker, in the East Division on second-place Maine with two conference games left to play.
“We had a hard fought win today,” said UAlbany head coach Phil Sykes. “I am very proud of our team's fight and composure.”
Dana Bozek assisted the team's first goal to Molly Mariano in the 31st minute, then scored one herself from Paula Heuser off a penalty corner early in the second half. Maxi Primus earned a shutout victory in goal with four saves.
For Maine, Danielle Aviani had three of the team's seven shots, putting all on goal. Emily Corbett got the loss, allowing a goal in the first half, with Emma Cochran having a save and goal allowed in the second half.
As each side tried to establish the offense early, only one shot was taken in the opening 10 minutes. Primus defended against a narrow angle shot in the 6th minute by Aviani with a save.
UAlbany protected against a Maine penalty corner shot as a defender deflected Samantha Wagg's shot wide. A minute later, Aviani tried a close range shot, with a diving Primus blocking the attempt.
After a long drought on shots, a foul gave the ball to Bozek. Bozek rocketed a ball towards the cage to Mariano, who tipped in the ball to the top of the net for a 1-0 UAlbany lead.
Bozek did the same pass a minute later towards Heuser, with the tip shot missing wide. UAlbany took a 1-0 lead into halftime.
Into the second half, a penalty corner went to Heuser, who stopped the ball for Bozek. Bozek swung hard and scored inside the right post for a 2-0 UAlbany advantage in the 39th minute.
Maine tried to get on the board off a penalty corner in the 42nd minute. On a Wagg shot attempt, a UAlbany defender dove into the ball and deflected it away.
UAlbany kept the attack up with hard shots from Heuser and Anna Bottino in the following minutes, with each being saved.
The Great Danes defended again a flurry of Maine shots in the 62nd minute as Frederike Helmke got in front of the cage and stopped Madison Cummings' attempt. On the penalty corner shortly thereafter, Primus blocked a high shot from Wagg to keep Maine off the board. UAlbany held off Maine the rest of the way to earn the 2-0 victory.
UAlbany stays on the road for its next game, taking on Vermont on Sunday, October 23rd at 1 p.m.
