GORHAM, Maine. – Senior Jordan Meier (Holderness, N.H.) notched her team-leading sixth goal of the year, but the University of Southern Maine used a pair of early scores to top Plymouth State University, 3-1, in a Little East Conference (LEC) women's soccer game at Hannaford Field on Wednesday night.
 
USM burst out of the gates scoring twice in the first seven minutes of action and the hosts pushed the lead to 3-0 in the 56th minute. Meier cut into the deficit in the 69th minute, but the Panthers were unable to claw back into the contest.
 
Plymouth State dips to 6-4-1 (2-3-1 LEC), while Southern Maine moves to 8-2-3 (2-2-1 LEC).
 
The Basics:

• Plymouth State 1, Southern Maine 3
  • Plymouth State (6-4-1, 2-3-1 LEC)
  • Southern Maine (8-2-3, 2-2-1 LEC)

How it Happened:

• Southern Maine got on the board in the third minute when senior Alexandria Allain (Carmel, Maine) split a pair of defenders and snuck a shot off the outside of her foot under the dive of senior goalkeeper Cat Robbins (Franklin, Mass.).
• The hosts doubled the lead just under five minutes later. Senior Emily Geyselaers (Cornwall Bridge, Conn.) delivered a free kick from just inside the right touchline that went off a head to Allain just outside the box. Allain delivered a long through ball to streaking junior Emma Forgues (Gorham, Maine), who went in all alone before finding the back of the goal.
• USM added an insurance goal ten minutes into the second half.
• Senior Sarah Hicks (Sutton, Mass.) used some fancy footwork to get past a pair of defenders along the right side before firing a shot from 15 yards out. The USM goalkeeper bobbled the ball and Meier blasted it into the empty net to pull the Panthers to within 3-1.
• PSU applied pressure and got off another few shots but was unable to get any closer.

By the Numbers:

• Meier leads the team with six goals and 14 points on the year. She fired a team-high six shots in the game.
• Robbins finished with four saves in the setback.
• PSU held a 15-13 advantage in shots, while the Huskies had six corners to PSU's four.
• The teams have traded results over the last four meetings.

Up Next:

• Plymouth State returns home to host Castleton University in another LEC contest on Saturday (Oct. 16) at 1:00 p.m.