Bowdoin College used a late surge of goals, including two late in the second half from freshman Lauren Skerritt, to power past USM 5-1 in a non-conference women’s soccer matchup at the USM Soccer Field on Wednesday.
Bowdoin improves their record to 3-2-1 overall with the win, and USM falls to 3-7 following the loss.
There was only one goal scored in the opening half. The goal was sent from fifteen yards out by Bowdoin junior Ellery Gould after running onto a through ball deep in the USM zone. There were plenty of chances for Bowdoin as they looked to put the Huskies away early, but thanks to a few lucky breaks and the goaltending of junior Kat Rothe (Leeds), they kept it close.
Well into the first half, a shot that was lofted in from deep on the right side managed to get past the outstretched hands of a diving Rothe only to ricochet back into play off the goalpost. Bowdoin gained possession off the rebound and was able to get another shot off that sailed just over the cross bar.
Bowdoin maintained a steady control of the tempo without breaking stride in the first half, forcing the Huskies to play frantic, yet effective, defense bothering the opposition just enough to keep them from getting the ball on net more than once.
The Huskies came out with a purpose to start the second half. A ball played to the end line was flicked back by the Huskies and put on net, just catching the crossbar and getting sent back out by the Bowdoin defense.
Bowdoin picked up the pace in the second half and went to work on the Huskies. As the pace started to increase the Bears midfield connected on a pass to Gould at the six yard mark, but reading the play perfectly, Rothe dove to stop the shot and keep the Huskies deficit at one.
In the 65th minute on an indirect kick taken just outside the 18 yard line, a shot from Gould and another diving save from Rothe resulted in a rebound that was unable to be stopped at such short range, putting the Polar Bears up 2-0.
With ten minutes to go Bowdoin got two more goals, including a beautiful header from Skerritt as Bowdoin continued to move the ball all around the attacking zone.
In the 84th minute the Huskies finally put together a successful attack. Senior tri-captain Heidi DeHaan (Lewiston) caught up to a long lead pass down the left sideline, angled in with the defender draped all over her back and fired a left-footed rocket that beat the keeper to get the Huskies on the board.
Bowdoin struck right back as they netted the sixth and final goal of the game, which was their fourth goal in five minutes.
“The score really didn’t depict the feel of the game. If the shot off the cross bar goes in, it’s a totally different ballgame,” USM Head Coach Lisa Petruccelli said. “We had a team that normally doesn’t worry about us on our heels for about 65 minutes today.”