Bangor, ME (June 22, 2008)- The Maine Tide dropped their first game 3-0 on the road against a strong Soccer Plus CT side. Soccer Plus is currently on top of the Northeast Division of the WPSL with 24 points.
Tide goalkeeper Vanessa Peters had another excellent game, but was unable to keep Soccer Plus off the score board. Eight minutes into the match, Peters was forced off her line and made a sliding save when Bianca D'Agostino got in behind the defensive line. Peters and the Tide defense kept Soccer Plus at bay for the first half hour of the match, but substitute Amanda DaCosta came on in the 28th minute and assisted the first goal one minute later. DaCosta ran down the right side of the field to the end line and played a perfect ball across the goal to Brooke Knowlton who drilled it into the upper 90 from 8 yards out.
In the 71st minute, a questionable call for a penalty kick was awarded to Soccer Plus when Knowlton was fouled in the box. Kristen Graczyk stepped up to take the penalty kick and buried it in the back of the net to put Soccer Plus up by 2. Three minutes later, Knowlton earned her second goal of the match to give Soccer Plus a 3-0 advantage when she blazed along the end line and then cut her run back towards the top of the box. Peters was forced way off her line and dove at Knowlton's feet, but missed the ball when Knowlton side cut the ball back and then fired her shot into the empty net.
Five minutes before the end of the match the Tide had an opportunity to get on the score board when Shelby Bradford was fouled from behind in the box, but no penalty was called. There were numerous chances for the Tide to score during the match, but the Soccer Plus defense was just too strong. Kim Stevenson played several dangerous balls up to the Tide forwards, but goalkeeper Jillian Mastroianni preserved the shutout for Soccer Plus.
The Tide continue their road games this weekend when they play the Boston Aztecs in Portland on Friday, and then travel to Massachusetts on Saturday to take on the New England Mutiny.