BURLINGTON, Vt. – The University of Maine soccer team conceded a goal in the 80th-minute and fell to the Vermont Catamounts 1-0 on Sunday in an America East battle at Virtue Field.
 
In sunny but windy conditions, the Black Bear defense withstood a dangerous free-kick in the first 10 minutes and remained steady throughout the first half. Mikayla Morin and Emma Cossette did well to defend the right flank from one-on-ones, while Amy Falkin stepped up to head out a cross. Together in the first 45 minutes of play, the Black Bears drew the Catamounts into two offsides.
 
UMaine's first chance of the half came off a hard Kendra Ridley shot from distance. After an initial diving save from Coco Speckmaier, a rebound popped to the left post towards Priscilla Domingo but was just a touch too fast and went out for a corner kick.
 
Early in the second half, the Catamounts had a dangerous opportunity go off the left post but play evened out once again between the two squads for a bit. Vermont continued to fire shots on goal but Samantha Cobotic was up to the task, at one point cutting off a cross and later charging out to snuff out a dangerous 1-on-1 opportunity.
 
The Catamounts, though, eventually poked a goal home with 10 minutes to play and rode that score to the 1-0 win.
 
Cobotic (0-1-0) finished with four saves in her first action of 2017 after coming on in relief of an injured Annalena Kriebisch – who made one save – midway through the first half. Speckmaier (6-5-2) finished with three saves for Vermont.
 
Vermont finished with a final edge in shots on goal (6-3) and corner kicks (5-2).

The loss moves UMaine to 4-8-1 overall and 2-3-0 in conference play while Vermont is now 6-5-2 and 2-1-1.
 
Goal Recaps
• (Vermont 80') After Colby Snyder sent in a cross from the right end line, Yurick was able to one-time the ball under the crossbar.
 
Notes
• The Catamounts hold an edge of 9-13-4 in the all-time series with the Black Bears.
• Morin, Riley, Falkin and Cossette each played the full 90 minutes for UMaine, while Emilie Andersen (83) and Jane Stevens (81) logged at least 80.
 
Up Next
• The Black Bears will have a week off before wrapping up the three-straight road game slate with a contest at UAlbany on Oct. 15.
• UMaine will then return home to wrap up the regular season against Binghamton on Oct. 19 and UMass Lowell on Oct. 22.

-UMaine-