Women's Soccer Drops 1-0 Decision to Maine on Thursday

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Hartford women's soccer team dropped a 1-0 decision to the Maine Black Bears on Thursday night at Alumni Stadium. Hartford falls to 1-1 in America East action and will next host the Binghamton Bearcats on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.

Hartford finished the game with a 13-12 advantage in shots, while shutting out the opposition with eight corner kicks in its favor. Hartford keeper Jessica Jurg finished the night with three saves, with her counterpart collecting one save and her team adding another.

Hartford kept the pressure right out of the gates, forcing a pair of corner kicks within the first six minutes of the contest. The Hawks first scoring opportunity came in the 18th minute as Sidney Spremullo streaked ahead of the defense. After a couple dribbles the defense caught up to Spremullo with her shot blocked just outside of the right side upright for Hartford's third corner kick of the night.

Maine registered the first shot on goal in the 27th minute as Eve L'Abbe angled a shot from outside the 18-yard box. Jurg collapsed on the ball, ending the threat and collecting her first save of the night.

With just over 10 minutes remaining in the opening half, the Hawks had their first two shots on goal come off the fourth corner kick of the evening. Spremullo sent the corner kick into the box where Chanel Johnson blasted the first shot of the series that was blocked by the Black Bears defense, registering a team save. Elise Galipo, who entered a few minutes earlier, quickly collected the rebound only to have her shot kick saved by Maine's Lauren Swant between the pipes.

The two squads combined for 13 shots in the opening half, seven in favor of the Hartford. The Hawks placed two of their seven shots on goal with Maine's Swant collecting one save and her team credited with the other. Hawks keeper Jurg finished with one save in the first 45 minutes.

Hartford looked to make some noise about 15 minutes into the second half as they had a pair of free kick opportunities about 10 yards out of the box. The first attempt, taken by Santos, sailed about a yard over the cross bar. Santos also took the second attempt, this time finding the head of Raelynn Mikell whose attempt also went high of the net.

After a pair of Hawks opportunities that began with Hartford's eighth corner kick were off the mark with 20 minutes remaining, Santos looked to strike with 18 minutes remaining on a free kick awarded just two yards outside the corner of the box. Her shot sailed less than a yard over the crossbar, the second shot that missed just high for Hartford.

Maine was able to break through with just under 11 minutes remaining in the game when L'Abbe accepted a forward pass and used a pair of shots to score the first goal of the night. L'Abbe's first shot from the edge of the box was deflected by Jurg for her third save but Maine's striker collected the rebound and scored from the edge of the six-yard box.

Hartford continues a three-game home stand with the University of New Hampshire on Sunday at 2 p.m. The Wildcats finished their league opener this past weekend against Binghamton in a 0-0 stalemate.