Women’s Soccer Final Four Preview: #4 SMCC vs. #1 NHTI

CONCORD, N.H.— The #4 Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) women’s soccer team will match up with #1 NHTI, Concord’s Community College in a Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) Semi-Final Game on Saturday, Oct. 28. Kickoff in Concord, N.H. is set for 11 a.m.

All-Time Series vs. NHTI

The SeaWolves have played to a 3-9-1 record against the Lady Lynx spanning the previous five seasons, a 2-3-1 record on the road. Despite a .250 overall winning percentage, SMCC’s last Final Four bid ended in a conference title, getting by NHTI with a 2-0 result in the semi-final round. The SeaWolves will look for the same post-season magic come Saturday.

Results

Scouting the Opposition

By reference to the latest United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Coaches Poll, NHTI ranks sixth nationally, ranking as high as second this season. The Lynx sit atop the YSCC table sporting an undefeated 6-0-1 conference record, 12-0-1 overall—its lone draw coming at the University of Maine at Machias. The SeaWolves defense will give attention to forward Maura Hart, the conference leader in goals (19), assists (8), and points (46). The Player of the Year candidate tallied six game-winners this season. NHTI gets it done in the defensive third as well, allowing just eight goals for a season goals-against-average of 0.63—a conference best.

In their regular season meeting this fall, SMCC managed a goal and took the Lynx to the 75^th minute before giving up a score that would result in a 2-1 loss.

Leading the Way

SMCC enters play at a 6-4-1 overall mark, 4-2-1 in conference play—playoff seeding going to tiebreakers. The SeaWolves score at a rate of 3.5 goals per game and concede at an average of 1.0 per game. First-year Callie O’Brien (South Portland, Maine) leads the team in scoring with 10 in her rookie season. Nonetheless, the SeaWolves bring a balanced attacked with 11 different players getting in the scoresheet this fall. SMCC will lean on co-captains Nina Frasca (Haverhill, Mass.) and Emily Harris (Dayton, Maine) to anchor the middle of the field and sophomore Samantha Munson (South Portland, Maine) to be a threat moving forward on the wings.

Should the SeaWolves pull out a win on Saturday, they will play the winner of Unity College vs. the University of Maine at Machias on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 10:45 a.m. in Concord, N.H.

Follow all the playoff action on Twitter @SMCCseawolves.

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