ORONO - The University of Maine field hockey team improved their conference record to 3-0 on Friday afternoon, defeating the Vermont Catamounts 2-0 in the first home game for the Black Bears since the fall of 2019. 

The weather in Orono was characteristically moody for March, as this game took nearly four full hours to complete as both teams grinded through multiple stoppages due to lightning and rain. 

This is the first Maine team to start the season 3-0 in America East play since 2015, a season that saw Maine finish 7-1 in conference play.

Chloe Walton got the scoring started right away in the second half with her second goal of the season and ninth of her career. After that, the reigning America East Rookie of the Week Poppy Lambert notched her third career goal to make it 2-0 and that's all the distance Maine needed.

Mia Borley was sharp in goal again, notching her second straight shutout. She made four saves on the day, including three in fourth, and now has twelve career shutouts and ten career shutouts in America East play. The America East record for shutouts in a career in conference play is eleven set by Danielle Butsch of Northeastern in the late 1990s. 

Maine raises their overall record to 3-2 alongside the 3-0 conference record, and they're right back to work in Orono this Sunday against the squad from New Hampshire. Push back is scheduled for 1:00 again, no fans allowed within the field hockey complex but streamed live on AmericaEast.tv.