GORHAM, Maine  –  Senior Alex Allain (Carmel, Maine//Hermon) had a goal and two assists to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a key 3-1 Little East Conference women's soccer win over the Plymouth State University Panthers Wednesday night at Hannaford Field.

Meeting for the 37^th time in series history, Southern Maine's 3-1 win is the 11^th all-time in the series.  PSU defeated USM 1-0 in their last meeting in the 2019 season 1-0. 
 
The Records:
Plymouth State (6-4-1, 2-3-1 LEC)
Southern Maine (8-2-3, 2-2-1 LEC)
 
How It Happened:

• Allain put the Huskies on the board early with a phenomenal individual effort down the right side of the field, cutting into the box to beat her defender and then placing a shot to the far post with the outside of her foot for a 1-0 USM advantage just two minutes into the game.
• Junior Emma Forgues (Gorham, Maine) doubled the Huskies' advantage in the seventh minute when she was sprung open into USM's attacking third by a well-time forward pass through the midfield from Allain.
• Ahead 2-0 at the half, USM withstood the Panthers early pressure in the opening minutes of the second frame and went ahead 3-0 on a goal from freshman Aly Veilleux (Manchester, N.H./Manchester Memorial) in the 56^th minute.  Allain won the ball in the midfield, took a pair of touched and played the ball to Veilleux on her right, and Veilleux struck the ball into the top right corner for her second goal of the season.
• Plymouth State took a goal back from the Huskies in the 69^th minute when senior Jordan Meier (Holderness, N.H./Plymouth State) cleaned up a loose ball in the box for her team-leading sixth goal of the season.  Senior Sarah Hicks (Sutton, Mass./Sutton Memorial) created the chance for the Panthers placing a shot on frame only to have it parried away by USM sophomore Bre Atwood (Franklin, Mass.). 

 
Inside The Stats:

• Allain's goal in today's contest gives her 14 for her career and has her tied for 14^th in USM career records with Mssy Esty (1986-89).  Her two assists give her 15 in her career and places her second in USM history books behind Husky Hall of Famer Ali Hathaway (1998-2000).  Hathaway's current record is 18 assists. She has 43 points in her career and is seventh all-time (14 goals, 15 assists). 
• Forgues' goal is her sixth of the season and her second game-winning goal of 2021. She has six goals and two assists for 14 points.
• Plymouth State outshot the Huskies 10-5 in the second half, but USM had a 7-5 edge in shots on goal. USM also had a 6-4 lead in corner kicks.

 
The Goalkeepers:

• Sophomore Bre Atwood (Franklin, Mass.). made four saves in the win, and improves to 7-2-2 in her first intercollegiate season.  Atwood has made 41 saves this season and has a 1.04 goals against average.
• Plymouth State senior Cat Robbins (Franklin, Mass.) made four saves in the loss. She is 2-4-1 on the season.

 
Up Next:
            Southern Maine remains in Little East Conference action and will host Rhode Island College on Saturday (1:00 pm) as part of the University's 2021 Homecoming & Family Weekend.  Plymouth State hosts Castleton on Saturday (6:00 pm) in an LEC matchup.

Southern Maine Athletics has gone to fully digital game programs, please click this link to access the game programs to future Husky home events!