BURLINGTON — Freshman keeper Elena Barenberg stopped two shots for the University of Maine during Sunday’s penalty-kick shootout, leading the No. 4 Black Bears to victory over the second-seeded University of Vermont Catamounts in the America East women’s soccer title match.
Maine became the league’s first team to win three consecutive tournament titles since Boston University completed a three-peat in 2011.
Maine held a 10-8 advantage with shots on goal but needed to go the distance against the Catamounts, who relied on eight saves by keeper Kylee Carafoli. Emma Warren and Lauren DeGroot scored for Vermont, which scored the first two goals of the match before the visitors rallied to force overtime.
Maine fired a shot off the post in the first overtime period and then Carafoli made one of her biggest saves of the season in the second overtime. UVM coach Kristi Huizenga replaced Carafoli for the penalty-kick shootout and inserted Vanessa Smith into the action. After both teams made early shots, Barenberg made a timely stop and then denied Smith on the Catamounts’ final scoring chance to lock up a 4-3 shootout victory.
Vermont falls to 8-4-6 overall and 5-1-2 in America East action. Maine improves to 6-7-4 overall and 3-3-2 against league foes.
“We’re not defined by a PK shootout,” Huizenga. “I thought we had a pretty strong performance in the championship game today. Huge thank you to our departing seniors for what they’ve done for the program. Little motivator for all the returning players to not want to have this feeling again.”
In the third minute Warren scored from the left side of the box with a shot to the top shelf off Della Weir’s cross. It was Warren’s first goal of the season and the third of her career, while Weir logged her third assist of the season.
In the 15th minute DeGroot made a run toward the goal but was called offside. In the 18th minute Vermont’s Sydney Remington sent a looping through ball to DeGroot, who finished outside the left post for her eighth goal of the season and a 2-0 advantage. Remington recorded her fourth assist of the year and 13th of her career.
Ten minutes later Maine scored on a corner kick following an initial punch-out save by Carafoli. In the 52nd minute Maine scored again on a curler from outside the box to knot things up at 2-2.
One minute later Remington shot from outside the box, but Barenberg made the save. In the 63rd minute Maine threatened to score inside the box, but Carafoli crouched down and kept the score even. In the 75th minute DeGroot had a one-on-one scoring opportunity and was denied by a diving effort from Barenberg.
In the 87th minute Vermont Aubrey Bough’s looping shot from outside the box hit the crossbar before Barenberg grabbed the ball. In the 93rd minute a Maine shot hit the left post and then Vermont cleared the rebound away from trouble. In the second overtime Carafoli made a diving save to her right off a shot inside the 6-yard box.
Amelia Adiutori converted the first penalty-kick attempt for Vermont and then Maine responded. Bridget Kennedy scored, and Maine matched. DeGroot’s penalty was saved, and Maine converted again. Della Weir scored. Maine converted their fourth; Vanessa Smith missed Vermont’s fifth.
Maine held a 7-4 advantage on corner kicks and is 14-17-7 in the all-time series with Vermont. Barenberg moved to 5-4-3 on the year for the Black Bears, whoe were playing in their eighth league title game in program history.
