FARMINGTON, Maine - Senior forward Audrey Fletcher (Monmouth, Maine) tallied four goals and added an assist to lead the University of Maine at Farmington women's soccer team to an 8-0 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) victory against the University of Maine at Presque Isle on Tuesday afternoon at Leib Field. With the victory, the Beavers improve to 3-5-1 and pick up the first NAC victory of the season. 

The Beavers offense got rolling in the 12th minute when Grace Mahmood (Oxford, Conn.) scored her first goal of the season on a feed from Abby Lash (Waldoboro, Maine). 

Fletcher doubled the Beaver lead in the 22nd minute with her first goal of the afternoon finding the back of the net off a pass from Emily Boyle (Orleans, Mass.). Just a minute later Boyle picked up her second assist finding first-year Rita Benoit (Hallowell, Maine) who scored her second goal of the season.

Fletcher gave the Beavers a 5-0 lead heading into halftime scoring a pair of goals eight minutes apart. The first of which came in the 32nd minute on a feed from Benoit. Fletcher's hat-trick goal came in the 40th minute again from Benoit.

The second half was more of the same for Fletcher and the Beavers. Fletcher found an open Grace Dwyer (Manchester, Maine) who scored her first collegiate goal in the 65th minute. Fletcher found the back of the net for the fourth time of the afternoon just five minutes later.

Senior Kiley Merritt (Lisbon Falls, Maine) finished off the scoring for the Beavers, tallying her first goal of the season in the 76th minute on Lash's second assist of the game.

After Tuesday's game, Fletcher extended her team-high in goals to six. The game against the Owls marked Fletcher's first career hat-trick. Fletcher's four goals is the most goals scored in a game by a Beaver since 2017 when McKenna Brodeur '21 scored four against UMPI.

Lash, Boyle, and Benoit each tallied a pair of assists, helping lead the Beavers to the conference victory. Sophomore goalkeeper Paige Gonya (Sabattus, Maine) recorded two saves to pick up her third victory and third shutout of the season.

Owl goalkeeper Marissa Havey recorded 12 saves in the loss.

The Beavers held advantages in shots (31-2), shots on goal (21-2), and corner kicks (11-1).

UP NEXT

The Beavers are back in action on Saturday afternoon when they take on the University of Southern Maine on the road. Kick-off is set for 12:00.