Thursday, August 20
Orono, Maine
7:00 PM
University of Maine
vs
Mercer
PREVIEW: Maine set to host Mercer, Sacred Heart at New Balance Soccer Complex
8/17/2026 1:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Maine will host Mercer at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20.
ORONO, Maine – The University of Maine women's soccer team will host Mercer in the 2026 home opener at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20 at the New Balance Soccer Complex.
The Black Bears will remain home on Sunday, welcoming in Sacred Heart for a noon non-conference matchup.
Both games will stream live on America East TV.
Game 2 | Maine vs Mercer
Thursday, Aug. 20 | 7 p.m. | AE TV
Orono, Maine | New Balance Soccer Complex
Game 3 | Maine vs Sacred Heart
Sunday, Aug. 23 | 12 p.m. | AE TV
Orono, Maine | New Balance Soccer Complex
ABOUT MAINE
• The Black Bears opened up the season on Wednesday night, falling 1-0 on the road at Rhode Island.
• Maine's first three games of the season all come against teams that played in their conference tournament championship games last season.
• Maine went 6-8-4 overall in 2025 en route to a third consecutive America East tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth.
• Maine returns three of its top five scorers from the 2025 squad … eight of 11 goal scorers and eight of 12 overall point getters are also back for the Black Bears.
• The Black Bears return eight starters from last year's postseason versus returning three starters a season ago.
• Luise Reinwald and Olivia Grisdale were both named to the America East Preseason All-Conference team … the Black Bears were picked to finish first in the coaches' poll and tied with Binghamton with four first-place votes each.
ABOUT MERCER
• Mercer enters Thursday night at 2-0-0 … the Bears topped Jackston State, 2-1, in the season opener before going on to another road win at West Georgia, 1-0.
• The Bears went 10-7-3 overall and 3-3-3 in SoCon play in 2025, advancing all the way to the conference championship game before falling to Samford.
• Defender Anna Bachman and midfielder Payton Nutzman were named to the Preseason All-SoCon team … Nutzman is the returning leading scorer for Mercer after 19 points on seven goals and five assists in 13 games played lats season.
• The Bears were picked to finish sixth in the preseason coaches poll.
SERIES HISTORY vs MERCER
• Thursday will be the first-ever meeting in the series between Maine and Mercer.
ABOUT SACRED HEART
• Sacred Heart will enter Sunday's game at 2-0-0 overall after picking up at 2-0 win at Vermont on Sunday afternoon … the Pioneers topped Central Connecticut, 4-1, in the season opener on Aug. 12.
• The Pioneers went 11-9-2 overall and 7-5-0 in conference games in 2025 en route to the 2025 Metro Conference tournament title.
• Shea Kelleher, Lindsay McShea and Kyran Thievon were all named to the Preseason All-Metro Team while Kelleher was named the Metro Conference Preseason Player of the Year … she recorded 22 points on eight goals and six assists last season … she had one goal and two assist in the season-opener last week.
SERIES HISTORY vs SACRED HEART
• Maine is 9-3-1 in the all-time series with Sacred Heart.
• These two teams last met in 2023, battling to a 1-1 tie in Connecticut … Abbey Thornton scored her first career goal for Maine.
• The first-ever meeting in the series came in 2000, with the Black Bears picking up a 2-0 win.
UP NEXT
• Maine will close out the homestand when it hosts Merrimack on Aug. 27.
The Black Bears will remain home on Sunday, welcoming in Sacred Heart for a noon non-conference matchup.
Both games will stream live on America East TV.
Game 2 | Maine vs Mercer
Thursday, Aug. 20 | 7 p.m. | AE TV
Orono, Maine | New Balance Soccer Complex
Game 3 | Maine vs Sacred Heart
Sunday, Aug. 23 | 12 p.m. | AE TV
Orono, Maine | New Balance Soccer Complex
ABOUT MAINE
• The Black Bears opened up the season on Wednesday night, falling 1-0 on the road at Rhode Island.
• Maine's first three games of the season all come against teams that played in their conference tournament championship games last season.
• Maine went 6-8-4 overall in 2025 en route to a third consecutive America East tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth.
• Maine returns three of its top five scorers from the 2025 squad … eight of 11 goal scorers and eight of 12 overall point getters are also back for the Black Bears.
• The Black Bears return eight starters from last year's postseason versus returning three starters a season ago.
• Luise Reinwald and Olivia Grisdale were both named to the America East Preseason All-Conference team … the Black Bears were picked to finish first in the coaches' poll and tied with Binghamton with four first-place votes each.
ABOUT MERCER
• Mercer enters Thursday night at 2-0-0 … the Bears topped Jackston State, 2-1, in the season opener before going on to another road win at West Georgia, 1-0.
• The Bears went 10-7-3 overall and 3-3-3 in SoCon play in 2025, advancing all the way to the conference championship game before falling to Samford.
• Defender Anna Bachman and midfielder Payton Nutzman were named to the Preseason All-SoCon team … Nutzman is the returning leading scorer for Mercer after 19 points on seven goals and five assists in 13 games played lats season.
• The Bears were picked to finish sixth in the preseason coaches poll.
SERIES HISTORY vs MERCER
• Thursday will be the first-ever meeting in the series between Maine and Mercer.
ABOUT SACRED HEART
• Sacred Heart will enter Sunday's game at 2-0-0 overall after picking up at 2-0 win at Vermont on Sunday afternoon … the Pioneers topped Central Connecticut, 4-1, in the season opener on Aug. 12.
• The Pioneers went 11-9-2 overall and 7-5-0 in conference games in 2025 en route to the 2025 Metro Conference tournament title.
• Shea Kelleher, Lindsay McShea and Kyran Thievon were all named to the Preseason All-Metro Team while Kelleher was named the Metro Conference Preseason Player of the Year … she recorded 22 points on eight goals and six assists last season … she had one goal and two assist in the season-opener last week.
SERIES HISTORY vs SACRED HEART
• Maine is 9-3-1 in the all-time series with Sacred Heart.
• These two teams last met in 2023, battling to a 1-1 tie in Connecticut … Abbey Thornton scored her first career goal for Maine.
• The first-ever meeting in the series came in 2000, with the Black Bears picking up a 2-0 win.
UP NEXT
• Maine will close out the homestand when it hosts Merrimack on Aug. 27.
Players Mentioned
Thursday, April 09
Saturday, January 24
Tuesday, November 11
Sunday, November 09
