Auburn, ME – The Central Maine women's soccer team suffered a 7-1 defeat to Husson University in their opening match of the 2024 campaign on Wednesday night.

The Mustangs made the most of their early season test again the NCAA DIII Eagles, getting all 19 healthy and available players into the game, including all three goalkeepers.

Things looked promising for the first half hour, as the Mustangs kept things scoreless thanks to five saves from starting goalkeeper Emma Knowles. Both coaches made a host of changes around a third of the way through the game, with freshman Emma Koch getting her first stint in between the posts for CMCC.

But the Eagles would swoop in for the games first goal in the 33^rd minute. Senior Kate Harriman was able to get to the end line and cut her way into the box. The midfielder delivered a perfect pass onto the foot of Addi Laslie who knocked a one-time shot past Koch's right side.

CM would get right back into the game about three minutes later thanks to a little good luck. Katie Blouin lobbed a through pass to the edge of the penalty area. As Husson goalkeeper Madison Weigler started to come for it, defender Caley Nault attempted to pass it back to her. The result was a bouncing ball that made its way into the bottom corner for an own goal to tie things up at 1-1.

The defensive miscue only seemed to put more determination into the Eagles. Husson would retake the lead just a couple minutes later, with Harriman converting a penalty kick after she was fouled in the area. The senior then made a marauding run into the box from the left wing before slotting home her second of the game just five minutes before halftime.

In the second half, second-year goalkeeper Ava Morgan would get the final half hour in goal for the Mustangs, but there was no stopping the Eagles offense.

Junior midfielder Devon St. Louis tallied two goals starting with a low shot in off the left post just past the hour mark, and got her second from a near post shot into the top corner five minutes later. Later on, Laslie would complete her hat trick for Husson, scoring in the 76^th and 81^st minutes to put the icing on the cake for the visitors.

Next up for CMCC, the Mustangs begin a five-game road trip starting with a visit to Maine Maritime Academy on Saturday, August 24^th. The women's soccer squad is next at home on September 18^th when they take on the arch-rival Southern Maine Community College Seawolves.