Paul Smith's, NY - The Mustangs traveled to Paul Smith's College in the Adirondack Mountains of New York for a Saturday game in what could only be described as a monsoon. Both schools did everything possible to find alternative arrangements to playing in the horrendous weather, but in the end it was decided to play and it will be a game to remember. Not only for the results but for the field conditions that both teams had to overcome in what turned out to be a really well played game by both sides.
In the 13th minute, the Mustangs jumped out to 1-0 lead on a goal by Natalie Tracy (Oakland, ME) off a pass by Madison Valentine (Minot, ME). The lead held for most of the half until the Bobcats leveled the score on a goal by Leah Coulombe assisted by Micaela Diller. Just 30-seconds later, Tracy got behind the Paul Smiths defense and put the Mustangs back in the lead with her second goal of the game. With just 7 seconds left in the half, Katie Blouin (Greene, ME) increased the lead sending the Mustangs into the halftime break with a 3-1 lead. At halftime, Head Women's Soccer Coach, Rob Rodriguez, warned his team not to be comfortable with their lead because the history with the Bobcats has been tightly contested games every year and a second half collapse in Albany the week before cost Central Maine the game.
Sure enough, the second half started with Paul Smith's on a continuous attack and within six minutes climbed back into the game making it 3-2 Central Maine. Eight minutes later, Lakyn Hink (Porter, ME) would increase the Mustangs lead to 4-2 and within 30-seconds Tracy would get her hat trick putting Central Maine up 5-2. This matchup being what it is every year, a 3-goal lead was still not secure against a top-ranked Paul Smiths team and in the 75th minute Coulombe got her second of the game assisted by Maddy Jackson. Ten minutes later Samantha Severing closed the gap again on an assist by Diller to bring the Bobcats back to within one.
The Mustangs were able to close out the game over the final four minutes with some drives down the field but not without some close calls and some excellent work by Mustangs keeper, Emma Knowles (Manchester, ME). The 5-4 win on a wet, muddy day made the 7-hour ride home a lot easier. Paul Smiths goalkeeper Peyton Hoffman finished with 11 saves in the loss while Knowles had 16 saves to secure the win.
The Mustangs are back in action in a Yankee Conference matchup at home against NHTI at 5:30 pm on Monday October 9th.
