PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Junior
Ashley Plante (Concord, N.H.) scored a pair of goals and Plymouth State University put forth another overpowering effort as the Panthers grounded UMaine Farmington, 6-0, on
Senior Day at Arold Field on Saturday afternoon.
Plante got the offense going in the 10th minute, and graduate student
Kaliana Palhof (Loudon, N.H.) made it 2-0 less than eight minutes later.
PSU poured it on in the second half, as freshman
Molly Bellmore (Hebron, Conn.) continued her torrid start with a goal and an assist, graduate student
Cara Easter (Weare, N.H.) and senior
Emily Haik (Westerly, R.I.) each beat the opposing goalkeeper and Plante added her second of the afternoon for the impressive win.
Prior to opening kick, Plymouth State recognized Haik and seniors
Gigi Wood (Merrimack, N.H.) and
McKayla Palhof (Loudon, N.H.), along with their families, in a brief on-field ceremony.
Plymouth State moves to 2-0-0 to start the year, while the Beavers drop their opener.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 6, UMaine Farmington 0
- Plymouth State (2-0-0)
- UMaine Farmington (0-1-0)
How it Happened:
- Plante took advantage of a misplay by the Beavers' goalkeeper when freshman Olivia Howard (Berwick, Maine) sent a ball into the box from the left side. The ball squirted through the keeper's legs and Plante was there to bury it into the empty net for the early lead.
- Palhof made a move around a defender from the left side of the box before blasting a shot over the goalkeeper's head to the top right corner to make it 2-0 in the 18th minute.
- The Panthers would keep the 2-0 lead into the break.
- Freshman Emily McDonough (Peabody, Mass.) stole a throw in on the near side and sent Bellmore off to the races with a perfect chip over the defense. Bellmore made a cut back to get around the final defender, before slipping the ball into the top right corner in the 56th minute.
- Easter got into the act when she settled a throw in on the left side from 25 yards out, then launched a shot toward the near post that got past the goalkeeper.
- Bellmore carried the ball along the top of the box before feeding Plante on the right side. Plante took a couple dribbles, then lifted a shot over the goalie for her second of the game.
- Haik capped the scoring in the 83rd minute when a cross went off a defender and ended up at her feet from inside the six. She converted the chance to account for the final score.
By the Numbers:
- Bellmore has been a dynamic scorer out of the gates. With her goal and assist today, she now leads the team with eight points through two games.
- Plante's two goals match her output from the 2021 season.
- Easter also has a point in each of the first two games.
- Graduate student Elena Register (Helena, Ala.) made one save to earn the win.
- Plymouth State improves to 5-0-0 against UMaine Farmington, outscoring the Beavers by a 19-1 margin.
Up Next:
- The Panthers remain home for a contest against Salem State on Wednesday (Sept. 7) at 3:30 p.m.
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