GORHAM, Maine  - Sophomore Riley Reitchel (Palermo, Maine/Erskine Academy) scored twice in the first half and senior Mia Sargent (Portland, Maine/Deering) added the exclamation point converting a second-half penalty kick as the no. 1 seed University of Southern Maine Huskies shutout No. 4 UMass Boston Beacons 3-0 in a Little East Conference semifinal Thursday night at Hannaford Field.
 
With the win, Southern Maine advances to the championship game of the 2023 Little East Conference Women's Soccer Championship and will host no. 2 Western Connecticut State University Wolves on Saturday at 3:00 pm. 
 
The Records:
No. 4 UMass Boston (7-5-9)
No. 1 Southern Maine (14-1-4)
 
Today's game marked the 30^th meeting between the UMass Boston Beacons and the University of Southern Maine Huskies.  Southern Maine leads the overall series 16-13-1, and earned a 0-0 draw in the regular season.
 
 
How It Happened:

• Pressuring early and having a goal waved off due to an offside infraction in the fourth minute, Southern Maine snagged a 1-0 lead in the 15^th minute to cruise to a 3-0 win over the Beacons.
• Reitchel scored her eighth goal of the season and first of the game at 14:02, running onto a well-time through ball from senior Eliza Roy (Camden, Maine/Camden Hills). 
• The Huskies' doubled their advantage in 26^th minute as Reitchel notched a brace.  Reitchel benefitted from an outstanding pass and assist from senior Catriona Gould (Freeport, Maine), knocking in the goal to the far post.
• The score remained 2-0 through the halftime whistle as Southern Maine outshot UMass Boston 7-1.
• UMass Boston had chances in the second half, recording six shots on goal, but Husky goalkeeper senior Breanna Atwood (Franklin, Mass.) made six saves to her earn 10^th shutout of the season. Atwood stood tall making a kick save on an one-on-one opportunity in the second half to keep the Beacons off the board.
• Southern Maine sealed the win in the 63^rd minute.  After a flurry of activity in their offensive end, the Huskies were awarded a penalty kick after a handball in the box from the Beacon defense.  Sargent stepped to the line, converting the sixth corner kick of her career, and first of 2023.

 
The Goalkeepers:
UMB, Isabella O'Connell (3-5-4), 90:00, 3 GA, 8 Saves
SM, Breanna Atwood (13-1-4), 90:00, 0 GA, 6 Saves
 
Inside The Stats:

• Reitchel's brace gives her nine goals on the season. She has nine goals and nine assists for 27 points.   Gould has 12 goals and three assists for 27 points after today's game, while Roy has seven goals and five assist for 19 points. 
• Atwood's win is the 40th of her career. She is 40-9-6 overall. Her shutout is her 10^th of the season and program-best 25^th of her career.
• The Huskies have shut out 12 of their opponents in 2023 and have allowed just 13 total goals all season for a combined 0.68 goals against average.
• Today's win is the 65^th in the career of Husky head coach Seth Benjamin '01.  Benjamin is 65-24-9 in five seasons (six years, no 2020 season).  His 65 wins are tied for the program's record for wins by a head coach. Steven Quinones had 65 wins over eight seasons (65-69-9). Benjamin is currently the program's all-time winningest coach with a .709 win percentage.

 
Up Next:
The 2023 regular season champion and number one seed in the tournament, Southern Maine will host no. 2 Western Connecticut State on Saturday (3:00 pm) at Hannaford Field. The winner will receive the Little East Conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.
           
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