Auburn, ME - The Central Maine Mustangs Women's Soccer team opened their 2021 campaign with a 900-mile road trip and back to back games. Their season began in Fall River, MA against the Bristol Community College Bayhawks, an unfamiliar opponent for them, and a 2019 NJCAA Region 21 conference finalist.

In front of a large contingent of Mustang fans who traveled to the game, Central Maine took about ten minutes to get adjusted to the firm turf surface but once they did they began to get organized on the attack putting some quality shots on the Bayhawks net. Bristol opened the game on the attack and put Mustang keeper Emma Johnson (Monmouth, ME) to work but the Central Maine defensive unit of Skyler Henry (Waterford, CT), Kaitlyn Baker (Skowhegan, ME), Deja Bennett (Buckfield, ME) and Taylor Henry (Rumford, ME) held firm until the Mustang attack could get into gear.

A Samantha Belardo (Russell, MA) goal midway through the first half off a feed by Baker put the Mustangs up 1-0. A turnover at midfield late in the first half allowed the Bayhawks to get back in the game and the half ended 1-1. The second half had the Mustangs coming back out firing on all cylinders. Belardo's second goal of the game on a scramble in the box was assisted by freshman Kaylee Knight (Chesterville, ME) and not long after that she would return the favor by providing the assist on Knights first collegiate goal to give Central Maine a 3-1 lead.

The game would be put away for good when Alison Noniewicz (Turner, ME) scored her first collegiate goal off an assist by Rachel Dunn to give the Mustangs a 4-1 season opening win. Johnson went the distance for the Mustangs in the net making 9 saves on 10 shots on goal for the win.

Sunday had the Mustangs traveling to Saranac Lake, NY for another first time opponent, the 2019 NJCAA Region III quarterfinalist, North Country Community College. Another strong supporting cast of Mustang fans made the trip, although not quite as many as the previous day. The North Country squad, with six international players, was a good test and a difficult matchup for the Mustangs who were playing on grass for the first time in two years. After falling behind quickly in the first half with a string of three quick goals against them, the Mustangs adjusted their defensive set-up and began to get to work but continued to struggle to figure out a tall, quick Saints team that was creating difficulties for Mustangs goalkeeper Allie Annear (Auburn, ME).

A 5-0 deficit at half time woke the Central Maine team up and they finally got the engine started in the second half. Some midfield adjustments created a more potent Mustangs attack and they soon began to create opportunities at the Saints net. A handball in a crowded box put Central Maine on the scoreboard with a Samantha Belardo (Russell, MA) penalty kick. Just over a minute later Macie Fletcher (Wales, ME) scored her first collegiate goal assisted by Rachel Dunn (Marshfield, MA) by crashing the net on Dunn's shot. Four minutes later Dunn would score her first goal of the season on a long shot to the corner of the net from well outside the 18 yard box. North Country would get one back and continue to attack but the Mustangs created more scoring opportunities in the second half but the deficit was just too much to overcome and the game ended 6-3. Annear went the distance in the net for Central Maine facing 22 shots.

The long trip back to Auburn saw the Mustangs pull into campus at 1am. They are back in action at home on Tuesday in a 4 pm conference matchup with NHTI.