GORHAM, Maine - The University of Maine at Farmington traveled to Hannaford Field on the campus of the University of Southern Maine and battled the Huskies to a 1-1 tie in a non-conference matchup on Wednesday evening.
The Records:
Following the tie, the Beavers' record sits at 5-4-2, while the Huskies are now 1-4-6. This tie marks the second for both teams in as many seasons.
How It Happened:
The Beavers and the Huskies played a very even, back-and-forth contest throughout, with each team creating a couple of strong scoring opportunities.
The Beavers came out of the gates on the offensive, earning a pair of corner kicks in the first four minutes of play but were unable to convert on either attempt.
After the opening surge, the teams settled into a midfield possession battle, with limited shots on frame until the closing minutes of the first half.
Earning their third corner kick of the half and their first since the 4:08 mark, the Beavers didn't squander the opportunity to get on the scoreboard. Zach Chaisson (Scarborough, Maine) took the corner kick from the right side and delivered an out-swinging ball that found the head of leading goal scorer Mohamed Adow (Auburn, Maine), who won the ball in the air and directed it into the lower left corner of the net, past the dive of Southern Maine goalkeeper Aldo Bryant.
Adow's 10th goal of the season helped the Beavers take a 1-0 lead heading into the second half. However, the lead didn't last long, as Martin Kelly scored just six minutes and 18 seconds into the second half to level the game at one. The Huskies built through their defense as center back Asa Farley sent a long pass to Kelly, who turned, took two touches, and then ripped a hard, low shot past the dive of Jackson Leach (Farmingdale, Maine) into the lower left corner of the net.
The teams continued to alternate possession and scoring chances following Kelly's goal. The best opportunity either team had to take the lead came in the 80th minute. William Dowse (Sherborn, Mass.) launched a high, lofting ball from around midfield over the top of the Huskies' defense, which found Adow. The ball hopped off the turf onto Adow's head, who flicked it over Bryant, who had been drawn off his line. The ball appeared to be heading into the back of the net, but a miraculous sliding clearance from Vincent Anderson kept it out, preserving the tie.
Neither team registered another shot on frame in the final 10 minutes, and they settled for the tie.
Team Stats:
The teams each finished with 11 shots, while the Beavers held a 7-3 advantage in shots on goal. Farmington also held a 6-5 advantage in corner kicks.
The Goalkeepers:
Leach made a pair of saves in the stalemate, while Aldo Bryant finished with five saves to lead the Huskies.
UP NEXT
The Beavers return to North Atlantic Conference (NAC) action on Saturday afternoon on the road against Maine Maritime Academy. The game is set to kick off at 12:00 PM.
