WATERVILLE, Maine - The University of Maine at Farmington men's soccer team saw its 2024 season come to an end on Saturday afternoon, falling to Maine Maritime Academy 3-1 in a North Atlantic Conference (NAC) quarterfinal played at Thomas College.
With the victory, Maine Maritime advances to face top-seeded Thomas College on Sunday afternoon. Thomas edged out Husson in penalty kicks to secure their spot in the semifinal.
How It Happened:
After a fairly uneventful first 10 minutes, the Beavers created the game's first opportunity in the 13th minute. Abdilahi Abdi (Lewiston, Maine) was in the right place at the right time when a cross from the right corner reached him at the back post. However, Abdi couldn't get enough power on his shot, allowing Mariner goalkeeper Reagan Moynihan to make the save.
After Farmington initially controlled possession, Maine Maritime began to turn the tide. The Mariners took the lead in the 34th minute when Garrison Fisher launched a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area that bent into the top-left corner of the net, over the outstretched arms of sophomore goalkeeper Jackson Leach (Farmingdale, Maine).
The Mariners went into halftime with a 1-0 lead. The Beavers emerged from the break with a strong sense of urgency, seeking the equalizer. Mohamed Adow (Auburn, Maine) found a streaking William Dowse (Sherborn, Mass.) in the center of the field, who split a pair of Mariner defenders. As Dowse advanced alone on Moynihan, he smartly laid the ball off to a wide-open Abdi, who slid it into the open net to tie the game at one.
The Mariners quickly regained the lead as Ronnie Morgan sent an in-swinging cross to the back post, where John-John Dickenson dove to head it into the net, making it 2-1 with just over 30 minutes remaining.
Both teams continued to battle for possession in the midfield, with the Beavers pressing for another equalizer. First-year player Jack Luciano (Gorham, Maine) nearly found the tying goal in the 85th minute. Zach Chaisson (Scarborough, Maine) delivered a free kick from the right wing that landed on Luciano's head. Luciano redirected the ball over Moynihan, but it hit the crossbar and bounced out of bounds, allowing the Mariners to cling to their one-goal advantage.
In the final minute, Gabriel Toledo was taken down in the box and converted the ensuing penalty kick, securing an insurance goal for the Mariners.
Team Stats:
The Beavers had slight advantages in shots (15-11) and shots on goal (7-6), while the Mariners led in corner kicks, 5-3.
The Goalkeepers:
Leach made two saves in the loss for the Beavers, while Moynihan recorded six saves to earn the victory for Maine Maritime.
