The University of Maine women’s soccer team will find itself in an unfamiliar position this season.
Head coach Scott Atherley’s Black Bears are a unanimous favorite to repeat as America East champions according to the coaches’ preseason poll.
Last season, UMaine went 11-2-6 and won its first ever America East tournament championship which resulted in its first trip to the NCAA playoffs where the Black Bears lost to Harvard 3-0.
The Black Bears return all four of their All-America East team selections, including league Striker of the Year and second-team All-American Abby Kraemer, as well as its three All-Rookie team picks.
And they have added some potential impactful newcomers including transfer center back Anna Phillips, who led the University of Oregon in minutes played the last two seasons and started 55 straight games for the Ducks, and goalkeeper Grace Wilson, who has a very good chance of earning a roster spot for her Australian team in the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia from Aug. 31-Sept. 22.
The one major loss for the Black Bears was longtime starting goalkeeper Kira Kutzinski, who played every minute last season and appeared in 63 games during her outstanding career.
She was the league’s Goaltender of the Year in 2022.
“We will be deeper than we were a year ago but how we do in that position (goalkeeping) will be the differentiating factor. That is our one unknown. Kira was 25 years old, she had a lot of experience and she was a great leader,” said Atherley.
Graduate student Jessica Kasacek has played just 10 minutes and 36 seconds in goal over the past four seasons, the first two being at the University of West Virginia before she transferred to UMaine where she received her short appearance in 2022.
“I am really pleased with her development,” said Atherley.
Junior transfer goalkeeper Jordan Wolf from Falmouth appeared in three games during her two seasons at Stony Brook. She owns the Falmouth High School record in career shutouts with 25.
If selected to play for Australia, which appears likely, Wilson would return in time for the second America East game at Vermont on Sept. 29.
The 5-foot-11 Adelaide native would miss seven non-conference games and the league opener against BInghamton on Sept. 22.
Atherley said Kasacek and Wilson are the front-runners and there isn’t much to choose between them and that Wolf “isn’t far behind.”
He said he has confidence in all three despite their inexperience.
The goalkeepers will have a top-notch set of backs in front of them including England youth team international player Phillips, center backs Myla Schneider and Rebecca Grisdale and outside back Emma Schneider, Myla’s older sister.
Myla Schneider was an All-America East first team pick a year ago and Grisdale was on the all-tournament team. Schneider has been chosen to the all-league preseason team.
Atherley said Schneider and Grisdale comprised the best center back tandem in America East last year.
“The tricky part is Anna (Phillips) is a true center back. I’ll probably move Rebecca to the outside because she is such a versatile player. I can play her anywhere and she would excel,” said Atherley.
Senior Elle Vermilya and University of Memphis transfer Amanda Clauzel provide quality depth in the back line.
Atherley said the midfield might be the strength of the team.
Senior Lara Kirkby, who transferred from Oregon, was a first team All-America East selection and the Most Valuable Player of the tournament thanks to her two goals in the 3-2 championship game win over UMass Lowell.
Kirkby, an All-AE preseason choice, had four goals and three assists on the season and played 1,519 minutes.
Graduate student Kristina Kelly from Lincolnville and Camden Hills High School in Rockport produced two goals and four assists and German sophomore Luise Reinwald registered two goals and two assists.
Kelly was an America East second team pick and also chosen to the league’s preseason team.
“Kristina is very explosive on the dribble, she can penetrate, she can finish and she wins a lot of balls,” said Atherley. “Lara has great (field) vision and a remarkable understanding of how to play off other people. Luise Is great in tight spaces with her technical ability.”
Reinwald was an All-Rookie team pick along with fellow midfielders Victoria Dungey and Windham’s Abby Thornton. Thornton scored a pair of goals in her freshman season and Dungey had one.
Gorham junior Madison Michaud played in 11 games a year ago and freshman Olivia Grisdale, Rebecca’s sister, are also in the midfield mix.
The third set of sisters on the team, the Kraemers, senior Abby and graduate student Kayla, highlight the front line.
In becoming the school’s first women’s soccer All-American, Abby Kraemer scored 13 goals and assisted on four more.
Her .72 goals per game tied her for 13th in the country among players from 336 Division I schools.
Her six game-winning goals tied her for sixth.
She was chosen to the All-AE preseason team
Right wing Kayla Kraemer had four goals and an assist.
Atherley has a bunch of good options at left wing in juniors Julie Lossius (1 goal, 5 assists) and Jordane Pinette (2 & 2) along with graduate student Tegan Morrison (1 & 2). Junior Gillian Rovers recorded a pair of goals and is another option up front.
Freshmen Emma Nicholson and Aja Turner, two of seven Calgary, Alberta natives on the roster, are promising forwards according to Atherley.
Michaud can also play up front.
UMaine averaged 1.95 goals per game a year ago which was 49th best in the nation.
Senior Olivia Bammel is a forward; junior Grace Johnson is a defender and junior Amelia Ames, Hermon sophomore Michaela Saulter and Orono freshmen Olivia Scott from Bangor High are midfielders.
Atherley said his team is “chasing a championship” instead of looking to defend it.
“That’s what we do on the field, we chase teams. We want to be the aggressors,” said Atherley, who is in his 26th season as the head women’s coach and was part of the league’s Coaching Staff of the Year last season along with assistant Liis Abbott.
A second assistant, Yuri Nascimento, has been added this season.
Abbott has been promoted to associate head coach.
UMaine will open the season at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y. on Thursday, Aug. 15 at noon.
The Black Bears’ home opener will be on Thursday, Aug. 29 against Merrimack at 6.
