BOSTON – The 2024 #AEWSOC league slate officially hit the halfway point on Sunday and one team has already clinched one of the coveted six bids to the conference tournament. Maine beat UMBC, 3-1, to improve to a perfect 5-0-0. With its 15 points, the Black Bears, the reigning league champion, became the first team to secure a berth and will appear in the tournament for the third-straight season.
Elsewhere on Sunday, UAlbany, Binghamton, UMass Lowell posted wins. New Hampshire, which was off Sunday and is unbeaten as well, slots in second place behind Maine with 12 points. Just one point separates the next four teams with UAlbany in third (7 pts.), followed by a trio of teams with six points (Binghamton, Bryant, Vermont). UMBC (4), UMass Lowell (3) and NJIT (0) round out the standings through five play dates.
Need to Know
- Maine’s win on Sunday was its seventh in a row, its longest win streak since 2006.
- The Black Bears are the first America East team to start conference play with five-straight wins since 2012.
- UNH, winners of four in a row, has not allowed a goal in four conference games and only let in five total in their 12 games this season. Their .417 team goals-against average ranks in sixth nationally.
- With its next win, UNH will secure an America East Championship berth for the 10th-straight full season.
- UNH goalkeeper Sally Rainey ranks in the top 10 nationally in three categories: save percentage (7th - .889), GAA (7th - .417) and shutouts (9th – 8).
- Both UNH (69) and Maine (76) rank in the top 80 in RPI.
- UAlbany has followed up its 10-game winless streak with back-to-back wins. The Great Danes matched their season high with three goals in a 3-1 win over NJIT and moved into third place in the league standings with seven points.
- Binghamton won its second-straight game via comeback, scoring twice in the second half to beat Bryant, 2-1.
- UMass Lowell snapped its 10-game winless streak (0-8-2) with a 2-0 shutout of Vermont, the top-scoring team in America East.
- The top six teams in the conference standings at the end of the regular season will earn America East championship bids. All games will be played at the higher seed. Check out Championship Central for more information.
Weekly Award Winners – Oct. 14
Offensive Player of the Week
Flo Bartholomai, UAlbany – So., Midfielder, Peachtree Corners, Ga.
- Had a three-point effort in UAlbany’s 3-1 win over NJIT on Sunday.
- Scored the game-winner almost immediately upon entering the game, finding the back of the net in the 40th minute.
- Set up Joanna Van Royen’s insurance tally in the 83rd minute.
- This is Bartholomai’s first career #AEWSOC Offensive Player of the Week honor. career.
Defensive Player of the Week
Emma Mitchell, UMass Lowell – Sr., Defender, West Orange, N.J.
- Played key role in 2-0 shutout of Vermont on Sunday.
- Helped shut down the top-scoring offense in America East, which includes two of the league’s top two goal-scoring leaders in Bailey Ayer (9) and Kate Bossert (6).
- Also scored her first career goal, which proved to be the game winner.
- This is Mitchell’s first career #AEWSOC Defensive Player of the Week honor.
Rookie of the Week
Sydney Waits, UAlbany – Fr., Midfielder, Dillsburg, Pa.
- Had an assist in UAlbany’s 3-1 win over NJIT on Sunday.
- Set up the Great Danes’ first goal of the game in the 28th minute.
- Got Binghamton on board in the 32nd minute to cut the deficit to 3-1.
- Sparked the Bearcats’ late rally wither her goal in the 85th minute to bring her team within one.
- This is Waits’ first career #AEWSOC Rookie of the Week honor.
2024 #AEWSOC Weekly Award Winners
Aug. 19 – Offensive Player of the Week: Delaney Lappin, New Hampshire; Defensive Player of the Week: Anna Phillips, Maine; Rookie of the Week: Anna Buckwalter, Binghamton
Aug. 26 – Offensive Player of the Week: Jordane Pinette, Maine; Defensive Player of the Week: Taylor Burgess, UMass Lowell; Rookie of the Week: Whitney Vaillant, Bryant
Sept. 3 – Offensive Player of the Week: Ciara Adams, NJIT; Defensive Player of the Week: Sally Rainey, New Hampshire; Rookie of the Week: Kristiana Kolega, UMBC
Sept. 9 – Offensive Player of the Week: Bailey Ayer, Vermont; Defensive Player of the Week: Sally Rainey, New Hampshire; Rookie of the Week: Anna Buckwalter, Binghamton
Sept. 16 – Offensive Player of the Week: Makenzie Ryder, Binghamton; Defensive Player & Rookie of the Week: Grace Wilson, Maine
Sept. 23 – Offensive Player of the Week: Makayla Griffin, Bryant; Defensive Player of the Week: Emily Dorfman, UAlbany; Rookie of the Week: Anna Buckwalter, Binghamton
Sept. 30 – Offensive Player of the Week: Emily Supple, Bryant; Defensive Player of the Week: Abby Cowles, UMBC; Rookie of the Week: Whitney Vaillant, Bryant
Oct. 7 – Offensive Player of the Week: Kate Bossert, Vermont; Defensive Player of the Week: Sally Rainey, New Hampshire; Rookie of the Week: Jahkaya Davis, Binghamton
Oct. 14 – Offensive Player of the Week: Flo Bartholomai, UAlbany; Defensive Player of the Week: Emma Mitchell, UMass Lowell; Rookie of the Week: Sydney Waits, UAlbany
Links
Info
Fans will once again be able to watch nearly every #AEWSOC contest this season with the majority of games airing on ESPN+ and the ESPN app while others will air on AmericaEast.TV. Those games will be available on computers, OTT devices and the America East app, which is available on all IOS and Android devices and can be found by searching ‘America East Conference’ in app stores.
Follow the @AmericaEast channels on Twitter and Instagram to to stay up-to-date on America East women’s soccer news all season long and use #AEWSOC to join the conversation.
ABOUT AMERICA EAST
Founded in 1979, the America East Conference is an elite NCAA Division I athletic conference that fosters an environment for student-athletes to become champions. Comprised of academically renowned, like-minded member institutions located in the Northeast region of the United States, America East is committed to broad-based excellence and progressive in its approach to supporting its more than 3,500 student-athletes across 18 sponsored sports. For more information, visit www.AmericaEast.com and follow the America East Conference and its social media channels, @AmericaEast.
- America East Conference – Where Champions Rise -