The UMaine-Farmington Beavers took care of business at Leib Field on Sunday afternoon as they beat SUNY Canton 2-1 to move to 3-5-1 and 1-1-1 in conference play.
The Beavers would control the play for a majority of the game in outshooting the Kangaroos 19-5, including 12-3 in shots on goals. The Beavers also held an advantage in corner kicks by a 8-4 margin.
The Beavers had a great opportunity to score in the 34th minute when junior midfielder Audrey Fletcher (Monmouth, Maine) had her initial shot blocked but the ball would fall back onto her foot, she would one time the rebound on goal, labeled for the bottom corner of the net. Canton's goalkeeper Skylar Williams (Chili, N.Y.) would dive to her right and deny Fletcher the opening marker.
The Beavers would follow up Fletcher's opportunity with a Kate Mohlar (Readfield, Maine) shot that lofted toward the top corner of the net before Williams punched it over the crossbar.
The Beavers would maintain their pressure as Fletcher would rip a shot that got blocked by Canton defender Hanlon Crane (Red Hook, N.Y.). The ball deflected off from Crane into the box where senior midfielder Emily Boyle (Orleans, Mass.) would run onto it and deposit a shot into the side netting to give the Beavers the opening lead.
The Beavers would take the 1-0 lead into the second half. In the 57th minute, Grace Mahmood (Oxford, Conn.) would knot her second goal of the season to double the Beavers lead. The goal came after the Beavers had a throw in their attacking third of the field. Boyle threw the ball into the sophomore forward Abby Lash (Waldoboro, Maine) who played it back to Boyle. Boyle then beat two defenders and lofted a cross into the box over the head of Williams right to Mahmood who used her midsection to redirect the ball into the net.
The Kangaroos did not go down without a fight however. SUNY Canton would respond to Mahmood's goal just 30 seconds later. They were awarded consecutive corner kicks and converted the second to cut the Beaver lead in half. Autumn Kunes (Bristol, N.Y.) took the corner kick and lofted the ball high into traffic inside the six yard box. Freshman goalkeeper Paige Gonya (Sabattus, Maine) jumped up to grab the ball and got bumped as the ball deflected off her hands and into the goal.
The Kangaroos would not register another shot after the goal as the Beavers held on for the victory.
Gonya made two saves in the victory. Williams made ten saves in the defeat.
UP NEXT
The Beavers will travel to Vermont next Saturday, October 1st to take on Northern Vermont-Lyndon at 3:30 PM.
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