Kira Kutzinski hadn’t received much goal support during her first three seasons as a goalkeeper for the University of Maine women’s soccer team.
The Black Bears managed to score only 32 goals in 36 games during that span. Even though Kutzinski had allowed an average of just 1.34 goals per game, the German keeper entered this season with just six career wins to go with 16 losses and seven ties.
But this year has been different.
The Black Bears are averaging two goals per game and are off to one of their best seasons in recent memory, with an overall record of 6-2-3 and a 2-0-2 mark in America East play.
UMaine is looking for its first America East playoff berth since 2016 and its first winning season since 2015.
UMaine was 26-46-9 overall and 10-31-5 in league play in its previous six seasons.
UMaine is tied for 59th in goals among 337 Division I teams in the country and is tied for 59th in goals against, allowing just .818 goals per game.
“This is really nice, especially because we’ve been through so many (tough) seasons. It’s nice to finally have success and to be scoring goals,” said the 5-foot-10 Kutzkinski, who was chosen the team’s Most Valuable Player last fall when she posted a 1.14 GAA and a .821 save percentage for the 3-7-4 Black Bears.
UMaine went 1-6-2 in conference play last fall and was shut out six times and managed to score just one goal in two other games.
This season, the Black Bears have already scored five goals in their four conference games, including three at the University of Maryland Baltimore County in which they erased a 2-0 deficit in the second half.
“For me, that was one of the biggest wins we’ve ever had,” said Kutzinski. “That was awesome. That did so much for our team on so many levels. We were patient, we kept playing our game and it finally paid off.”
Kutzinski is having an outstanding year so far with an 0.827 GAA, an .809 save percentage and five shutouts.
“She was our MVP last year and she is having a superior year this season,” said coach Scott Atherley. “Her presence alone makes everyone in front of her feel confident and relaxed. I haven’t seen a goalkeeper with better feet than Kira this season.”
“That’s one of my strengths. It’s fun to see how (frustrated) strikers get when they don’t score on one,” said.
Kutzinksi, whose father, Frank, was a goalkeeper credited her improvement to the fact she is playing with “more confidence now.”
Atherley, who has been the women’s soccer coach since 1999, said there are several reasons behind the team’s success this season.
“One is our experience. We have eight super seniors who are in graduate school. And we have quality depth. We have a roster of 30 players, and we consistently play 22 of them in each game,” said Atherley. “I had never been able to use 22 players in a game before.
That has allowed Atherley to not overplay any of his players. “The only ones who play the whole 90 minutes are Kira and the two center backs: Halle Rogers and Myla Schneider,” he said.
The team plays its conference games on Thursdays and Sundays, so playing midfielders and forwards an average of 50 minutes apiece gives them ample time to recover between games, Atherley said.
“And there is no (talent) drop-off when we sub,” said Kutzinski. “That has been a big part of our team this season.”
It is showing up on the scoresheet.
UMaine has received goals from nine players, and six have scored at least two, led by graduate student Saylor Clark’s six goals.
The efficient University of Maryland transfer has yet to start a game and is averaging 38 minutes of playing time per contest. The striker also has an assist. Clark’s six goals is the most scored by a UMaine player since Charlene Achille scored seven in 2015.
Midfielder Birte Speck has three goals and two assists; striker Kayla Kraemer has two goals and three assists; outside back Susannah Gaines has three goals; striker Abby Kraemer, Kayla’s sister, has two goals and one assist; and Rogers also has two goals and one assist.
With Rogers and Myla Schneider patrolling the middle of the back line, the outside backs include Gaines, Amanda Sandberg and Florida Gulf Coast transfer Emma Schneider, Myla’s sister. They share the two outside back spots.
“And they’ve all been great about getting forwards (and into the attack),” said Atherley.
A talented all-graduate student midfield consists of Speck, Emma Donovan and Hannah Bamford.
Up front, joining the Kraemer sisters and Clark are junior Tegan Morrison and three freshmen considered “impactful” by Atherley in Jordane Pinette, Julie Lossius and Gorham’s Madison Michaud.
Atherley said his team has a lot of speed, and it has been “very impressive” with its high press, which has forced a lot of turnovers leading to scoring chances.
“We have been very quick to transition to the attack after we’ve won the ball. We have scored the majority of our goals within 10 seconds of winning possession,” he said.
UMaine has four games left, all conference games, beginning with Sunday’s 1 p.m. contest at Vermont.