The highest-seeded teams both advanced in the America East Women's Soccer Quarterfinals on Thursday, as No. 3 Vermont and No. 4 Maine will head to the semifinal round on Sunday. Third-seeded Vermont topped No. 6 UMBC, 1-0, while fourth-seeded Maine needed penalty kicks to defeat No. 5 and reigning champion New Hampshire.
Vermont will travel to play No. 2 Albany in the semifinal round on Sunday at 4 p.m., while Maine will head to top-seeded Hartford at 2 p.m. Both games will be available live for free on AmericaEast.TV.
No. 3 Vermont 1, No. 6 UMBC 0
Box Score | Highlights
Junior Dane Buckhorn's first career goal proved to be a game-winner to lift the No. 3 Vermont Catamounts to a 1-0 victory over No. 6 UMBC in the America East Championship quarterfinals on Thursday at Virtue Field. The match was the first-ever night game a UVM's home field.
Buckhorn entered the game in the 33rd minute and found the net just four minutes later. The junior collected the ball in the midfield and took a few dribbles before firing a shot from 23-yards out that made its way over the head of UMBC goalkeeper Jen Nance and into the left-side netting.
The Catamounts controlled the action the rest of the way and went on to post their first America East tournament win in program history (1-7-2).
UVM out shot UMBC 16-2 in the match, but the Retrievers held a 4-2 advantage in corners. Nance was credited with six saves for UMBC, while Ally Ramos did not have to make a stop to earn her eighth win of the season and fifth clean sheet.
Vermont improved to 8-7-2, the most wins for the program since 2005, and moves on to face No. 2 Albany on Sunday at 4 p.m. It is the second trip to the semifinals under head coach Kristi Lefebvre. The game will be live on AmericaEast.TV.
No. 4 Maine 1, No. 5 New Hampshire 1 (Maine advances on penalty kicks, 4-3)
Box Score | Highlights
Fourth-seeded Maine will make its first trip to the semifinals since 2012, advancing past No. 5 New Hampshire in penalty kicks on Thursday night in Orono, Maine.
America East Defender of the Year, Noelle Leon-Palmer, snapped a 3-3 PK tie and clinched the win for the Black Bears. Maine will now travel to take on No. 1 Hartford on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Reigning champion, New Hampshire, jumped out to a 1-0 lead with the game's first goal in the 17th minute. Brooke Murphy sent a free kick into the box which was headed by Nikki Sloan up and over Maine keeper ClaudiaDube-Trempe.
The score remained that way until the second half when the Black Bears knotted the score with a header of their own in the 63rd minute. Kate Evans chipped a ball into the box, which found the head of Ashley Robinson 8-yards who flicked the ball into back of the net.
Maine had a chance late as Evans ripped a shot on net with just 12-seconds remaining in regulation, but it was tipped over the net by New Hampshire keeper Mimi Borkan, sending the game to overtime.