BANGOR, Maine – Freshman
Maggie MacDonald (Pembroke, Mass.) scored her team-leading seventh goal of the season, but Husson University held off Plymouth State University, 2-1, in a non-conference women's soccer game at John P. Boucher Field on Wednesday afternoon.
Husson opened the scoring on a penalty kick in the 26th minute, then doubled its lead in the opening moments of the second half. Plymouth State applied steady offensive pressure late in the contest, with MacDonald heading in a well-placed corner in the 84th minute to cut the deficit in half.
The Panthers continued to press for the equalizer, but MacDonald's final attempt in the closing minutes curled just wide of the top right corner as the Eagles held on for the win.
Plymouth State slips to 6-8-0, while Husson improves to 9-4-1.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 1, Husson 2
- Plymouth State (6-8-0)
- Husson (9-4-1)
How it Happened:
- Husson had the game's first chance in the fifth minute, but a shot from the top of the box was easily handled by senior goalkeeper Sydney Rowe (Cañon City, Colo.).
- Freshman Corinne Palhof (Loudon, N.H.) played a nice ball to the left corner of the box for MacDonald five minutes later, but her bid to the far post was stopped by the Husson keeper.
- The Eagles converted a penalty kick in the 26th minute to open the scoring.
- Both teams battled for possession through the rest of the half, with few quality scoring chances.
- Husson doubled its lead just 34 seconds into the second half with a strike to the top right corner from the top of the arc.
- Rowe made a key stop in the 55th minute, turning aside a close-range attempt to keep the deficit at two.
- MacDonald nearly put the Panthers on the board a minute later when her volley off a long throw-in struck the crossbar, and PSU's rebound attempt went wide.
- A wind-aided drop kick gave Husson a breakaway in the 75th minute, but Rowe came off her line to deflect the shot wide.
- Plymouth State built steady pressure over the final 10 minutes and finally broke through when MacDonald headed in a corner from freshman Islah Godo (Topsham, Maine) in the 84th minute.
- PSU continued to threaten, with sophomore Sofia D'Addona (Torrington, Conn.) slipping a through ball to MacDonald at the left corner of the box, but her shot to the upper right missed just wide as the Eagles held on for the win.
By the Numbers:
- MacDonald's seventh goal ties senior Molly Bellmore (Hebron, Conn.) for the most by a first-year player since Sarah Hicks netted eight in 2018.
- Godo's assist was her fourth of the season.
- Rowe finished with eight saves, including six in the second half.
- Husson held a 16-7 advantage in shots and a 5-4 edge in corner kicks.
- The matchup marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State returns home to host UMass Dartmouth in a Little East Conference (LEC) clash on Saturday (Oct. 18). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
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