UMBC

Head Coach Michelle Salmon's Retrievers wrapped up the regular season on Sunday.

Orono, Maine-Two first-half goals were all Maine needed as the Black Bears (11-5-1, 6-1-1 AE) blanked the UMBC women’s soccer team (9-8-1, 3-4-1 AE), 2-0, Sunday afternoon at a cold and rainy Alumni Field. The Retrievers have now been shut out in three straight games and head into the America East Championships next weekend on a four-game winless streak (0-3-1). Maine clinches the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament.

Maine’s Heather Hathorn opened the scoring just 7:55 into the game, converting a pass from Brittany Saisselin from 15 yards out. Laura Harper scored an insurance goal on a breakaway at the 38:26 mark. The Black Bears took the 2-0 lead into halftime, and the score remained the same the rest of the way.

Freshman goalie Catie Bukowski (Odenton, Md./Arundel/South Carolina) allowed both Maine goals and stopped one shot in the first half before giving way to classmate Christine Bacinski (Hampstead, Md./Mount de Sales), who saw her first playing time since the first half of the Mount St. Mary’s game on Sept. 11. Bacinski tallied five saves and did not allow a goal. Maine netminder Tanya Adorno registered four saves while earning the shutout.

The Black Bears out-shot the Retrievers, 18-13, but UMBC held a 5-4 advantage on corner kicks.

The Retrievers return to action Friday, Oct. 28, in the first round of the America East Championships at Boston University. Opponent and game time will be determined after all of Sunday’s league contests have been completed. UMBC is currently in fifth place in the conference standings with 10 points, but could slip to sixth if New Hampshire defeats Albany today. The Nos. 4 and 5 seeds will face off at 11:00 a.m., while the Nos. 3 and 6 seeds will play at 1:30 p.m. Boston U. and Maine, the top two seeds, receive byes.