Auburn, ME - After a very late return from Rhode Island on Friday night, the Lady Mustangs came out on Saturday to open their Yankee Small College Conference schedule with a home game against the Vermont Technical College Knights on the brand new Mustang Turf Athletic Complex.
In spite of their short night, the Mustangs were highly energized to play on their new turf field and it only took seven and half minutes for them to get on the board with a goal by Rachel Dunn (Marshfield, MA) off a direct kick from about 25 yards out. At just under the 25-minute mark, Dunn again converted a direct kick from almost the same spot for her second goal of the game and a 2-0 Central Maine lead.
Four minutes later, Dunn would get the hat trick, again from a direct kick, this time from the other side of the field to put the Mustangs ahead 3-0, where the score would stay going into halftime.
The second half began with the Mustangs continuing to set a fast pace to the game and about six minutes into the half, Cassi Smeltzer (Waldoboro, ME) beat the Knights defender down the left side and fed a pass to an open Samantha Belardo (Russell, MA) who put the Mustangs ahead 4-0.
The Mustangs outshot the Knights 24 to 5 with Ali Sult (Lisbon, ME) making all five saves for the win.
Central Maine travels to Orono for an exhibition game against the UMaine Club team on Friday night and then heading to Randolph, VT to complete a home and home series on Sunday against the Knights.