MANSFIELD, Conn. – A year ago in the first round of the Little East Conference women's soccer playoffs, the University of Southern Maine ended a 21-game winless streak at the hands of Eastern Connecticut State University with a shutout win at Rick McCarthy Field which eliminated the Warriors from title contention.
 
Saturday, Southern Maine (6-1, 2-0-0 LEC) proved that that victory was no fluke, posting its second straight shutout win over Eastern (3-2-2, 1-1-0 LEC) at McCarthy Field for its third straight shutout this year and fifth of the season.
 
Two of the culprits in USM's shutout a year ago were were at it again. Junior keeper Breanna Atwood made four saves Saturday after stopping six shots a year ago and junior Catriona Gould, who scored in the ninth minute last year, scored the only goal Saturday in the 16^th minute to power the Huskies.
 
On Gould's goal, the Huskies gained control in the Eastern zone before playing it back behind midfield. The ball was played to freshman defender Devon Gatz, who controlled the ball near the right sideline and served it ahead toward the box, where an Eastern defender got a head on it but only re-directed it to Gould inside the 18. Gould trapped it with her right foot, turned to her left and laced a ground ball toward the left post. Eastern junior Rachel Hughes (Columbia) had the shot lined up but fell to her knees as she attempted a dive to her right and the ball trickled inches inside the left post.
 
In her first start since 2020, Hughes made three saves, shutting out Southern Maine over the final 75 minutes. While the visitors outshot Eastern, 12-6, both teams were able to put only four shots on net.
 
The home shutout was the second for Eastern in two home matches. The Warriors continue Little East play Wednesday at Western Connecticut State University at 6 p.m. and host Keene State College next Saturday at noon. Western Connecticut has won five of the last six LEC tournament titles while Keene last won as the No. 4 seed in 2014.