Box Score Panthers can't score despite out-shooting
Huskies
PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Senior Peter McHugh
(Scarborough, Maine) scored a pair of second-half goals Saturday
afternoon as the University of Southern Maine defeated Plymouth
State University, 3-0, in Little East Conference men's soccer
action at Panther Field.
The Panthers out-shot the Huskies by a 20-8 count, but USM made the
most of its opportunities. The visitors broke a scoreless tie
in the first minute of the second half, added an insurance goal in
the 60th minute, and put the match away with a third
goal in the 70th minute. The Huskies improve to
2-0-0 in Little East games, 2-6-0 overall, while PSU drops to 0-2-0
in conference play, 2-4-1 overall.
Plymouth State controlled the majority of play during the first
half but could not find the back of the net. PSU had 13 shots
compared to three for the Huskies, but USM senior keeper David
Kreps (Agawam, Mass.) made seven of his nine saves in the first
half to keep the match scoreless.
The Huskies needed only 45 seconds at the start of the second half
to break the deadlock. The ball was sent into the box where
McHugh knocked a header past Panther sophomore keeper Bjorn
Ohlsson (Halmstad, Sweden). USM extended its lead to
2-0 15 minutes later when senior Nick Johnson (South Portland,
Maine) broke free on a breakaway and kicked the ball through
Ohlsson's legs for a two-goal advantage.
Southern Maine put the game out of reach when Johnson fed McHugh
with a nice crossing pass to the right side and McHugh scored his
second of the game and third of the season into the far left corner
of the goal.
Kreps and the Husky defense, led by senior center back Chris
Gassman (Kennebunk, Maine), did the rest, keeping PSU off the
scoreboard for the team's first shutout of the season.
Plymouth State is home again on Wednesday with a non-conference
match against Middlebury College (6:00 p.m.). Southern Maine
will host Colby College on the same day at Memorial Field in
Portland (7:00 p.m.)
-- 30 --
