PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Owls return their leading scorer from a year ago, and with plenty of fresh faces mixed in with some experienced players, a buzz of excitement has been coming from the women’s soccer team at UMPI.
“[We have] a good combination of locals and girls from away,” said Trevor Parent, who begins his fourth season as the head coach. “We have a great combination of veterans and first years. We have a great combination of speed, techniques and tactics. It’s all coming together very nicely.”
Sophomore Samantha Nadeau of St. David is coming off a freshman season in which she led the team in goals (10) and garnered AD3I Second Team All-Conference honors, as well as being the USCAA Player of the Week on one occasion. She spent the summer working hard to improve her game, playing for the Portland Phoenix of the USL Premier Development League, and looks to bring some of the lessons she learned with her to UMPI.
“The physicality of playing down there was something I can bring up here and teach my teammates,” Nadeau said. “I can also show them the tactical and technical situations that I learned down there and will help when I bring it here to show the other girls.”
Junior Mikaelah Tracy of Houlton was tied for second on the team in assists last season and started every game for the Owls.
“I’m really excited for the season,” said Tracy. “We have a lot of talent coming in and we have bigger numbers this year.”
Allie Lopez, a sophomore from Kingfield, is back for her second season tending the goal for the Owls, working to improve from a strong freshman campaign that saw her save 73 percent of shots on goal. Also coming off seasons in which they started every game they appeared in are sophomore Jessy Dickison of Houlton, junior Bethany Heald of Enfield and sophomore Janae Libby of Fort Fairfield. All three will look to use their experience to strengthen the Owl’s attack.
Abby Deveau, a sophomore from Littleton; Morgan Roy, a sophomore from Howland; and Abi Riitano, a senior from Abbot, round out the returnees for this year’s Owl’s squad.
Several new faces will look to add some much needed depth and to give the Owls a boost this season. All are freshmen and include Holli Boyce of Stonington, Hope Hyland of Woodstock, New Brunswick, Jordi Legassie of Presque Isle, Autumn Poulin of Winslow, Mikayla Churchill of Washburn, Megan McKnight of Presque Isle and Kaysha Davenport of Perth-Andover, N.B.
The Owls opened on the road last Tuesday with a victory over Unity College. The home opener is today against UM-Farmington, beginning at 2 p.m. Other home dates include: Unity College (Sept. 13, 1 p.m.), Fisher College (Sept. 19, noon), UM-Machias (Sept. 23, 2 p.m.), Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Studies (Oct. 4, 11 a.m.) and UM-Fort Kent (Oct. 29 at noon)
