NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass.   -  Junior Julia McKenna (Windham, Maine) and senior Ashley Sabatino (Scarborough, Maine) each scored a first-half goal to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 2-0 win over the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs in a Little East Conference women's soccer game Saturday afternoon at Cressy Field.
 
The Huskies are unbeaten in eight games to start their 2023 season, and have won four consecutively since tying University of New England (1-1) on September 9. USM has outscored its opponents 6-1 during that stretch, including three consecutive shutouts. The eight-game unbeaten streak (7-0-1) to start the season is the best start in program history.
 
The Records:
Southern Maine (7-0-1, 2-0 Little East)
UMass Dartmouth (2-3-2, 0-1 Little East)
 
Today's game marks the 36^th meeting between the University of Southern Maine and UMass Dartmouth.  Southern Maine has won the last six consecutively, and leads the series 17-15-4.   The Huskies defeated the Corsairs 6-2 at home in 2022.
 
How It Happened:

•  Dominating the play from the start, Southern Maine earned a free kick just outside of the box in the sixth minute.  Fouled on the play, McKenna took control of the Huskies' set piece and fired a shot just off the outside of the wall and deflected into the lower right side of the net.  
• Sabatino doubled the Southern Maine advantage in the 37^th minute, taking a shot from distance and beating the Corsair goalkeeper to the right for a 2-0 Husky lead.
• With the Southern Maine defense locking down the Corsair attack, USM held Corsairs to just one shot in the game, which did not come until the 88^th minute of play.
• Southern Maine outshot UMass Dartmouth 27-1 (10-0 on goal), including an 18-1 margin in the second half.  The Huskies also had a 10-1 lead in corner kicks.

 
 
The Goalkeepers:
SM, Breanna Atwood (7-0-1), 90:00, 0 GA, 0 Saves
UMD, Grace Conti (2-3-2), 90:00, 2 GA, 8 Saves
 
Inside The Stats:
 

• McKenna's goal is her team-leading fourth of the season. She has four goals and three assists for 11 points.  The 2022 LEC Rookie of the Year, McKenna now has 16 goals and five assists in 29 career games.
• Sabatino's goal is her second of her Husky career.  The Husky transfer has played in each of the Huskies' eight games with three starts  - all in the midfield.
• The Huskies' defense anchored by seniors Mia Sargent (Portland, Maine/Deering), Sarah Lowell (Oakland, Maine/Messalonskee), Kiaya Gatchell (Portland, Maine/Deering), Madison Johnson (Hollis, Maine/Bonny Eagle) and junior Kiki Huntress (Kittery Point, Maine/Traip Academy) have limited USM opponents to just four goals on the season, or a 0.50 goals per game average.
• Atwood's shutout is her third of the season, and third consecutive.  The Huskies have outscored their opponents 22-4 this season.  Atwood now has 18 career shutouts. Currently second in USM record books, Atwood needs one more shutout to tie the record of 19 held by Husky Hall of Fame member Samantha Whitman (1997-2000).

 
Up Next:
The Huskies return home on Wednesday (7:00 pm) in Little East Conference action against Plymouth State University, and then host non-conference opponent UMaine Farmington on Saturday (12:00 pm) before a Sunday (4:00 pm) matchup at Bates College in non-conference action.
           
 
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