ORONO, Maine – The #4 UMass Lowell women's soccer team (5-6-7, 3-2-3 AE) fell to the #2 Maine Black Bears (11-1-3, 4-1-3 AE) on Sunday afternoon at Mahaney Diamond in the America East Championship game. 
 
Fifth year Julia Edholm (Stockholm, Sweden) scored her seventh goal of the season late in the first half senior Calliste Brookshire (Kingston, Mass.) scored her fifth of the season from the penalty spot late in the second half to go along with an assist. Redshirt senior Taylor Burgess (Mendon, Mass.) made seven saves on the night.
 
"I am so proud of this team for their fight. They battled back at Binghamton and again today," said head coach Mira Novak. "This team never gave up and fought until the very end and I am so proud of every one of these players."
 
The championship game began with great energy from both sides and a physical battle in the midfield. Taylor Burgess was called into action in the 13^th minute after a misplaced place allowed Maine space to shoot at the top of the box. The veteran goalkeeper got down quickly and pushed the ball wide for a corner. The Black Bears continued to pressure early and took the lead in the 15^th minute with a close-range finish.
 
UMass Lowell responded with more pressure on the Maine defense and earned a corner in the 24^th minute, but the River Hawks could not get a shot on target. Taylor Burgess made another stop in the 25^th minute on a partial breakaway to keep the deficit at one. The veteran made yet another fantastic save in the 35^th minute, pushing a shot outside the box over the bar and out of play.
 
Maine was awarded a penalty in the 41^st minute which was put away to give the hosts a 2-0 lead. The River Hawks were awarded a free kick with 19 seconds left in the half just inside the Black Bears' half. Calliste Brookshire whipped in a left-footed cross which found Julia Edholm, who headed the ball over the goalkeeper and in to cut get UMass Lowell on the board. The Black Bears took a 2-1 lead into the halftime break, outshooting the River Hawks 8-2 and 5-1 on goal.
 
UMass Lowell came out strong in the second half, looking for the equalizing goal. Julia Edholm's long-range shot in the 51^st minute forced a fingertip save from the Maine goalkeeper. The River Hawks pressured intensified, earning two corners in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Maine was under pressure for the first 20 minutes of the half, but UMass Lowell still searched for the equalizer.
 
Desperate for the tying goal, the River Hawks threw numbers forward to keep their season alive with 10 minutes to go. Sophomore Megan Banzi's (Plymouth, Mass.) header in the 81^st minute hit the crossbar and went out of play, the closest the River Hawks had come to the tying goal.
 
The opportunity came late in the half as Julia Edholm's pressure led to a penalty kick being award to the River Hawks in the 86^th minute. Calliste Brookshire stepped up and scored the goal to tie the game late in the second half. The teams would go to extra time to determine the winner of the America East Championship.
 
The River Hawks opened the first half of extra time on the front foot, earning a corner in the stages. The cross bounced around in the box before being cleared away by the Maine defense, keeping the game tied. Freshman Luka Marceau (Newton, Mass.) got in behind the defense in the 95^th minute, but the shot went wide.
 
More pressure from UMass Lowell earned another corner in the 98^th minute. Senior Chloe Layne's (Wrentham, Mass.)  corner found Julia Edholm at the back post, but the header hit the post and bounced out for a goal kick. Burgess made another save in the final minute of the first half of extra time to thwart a Maine fastbreak chance.
 
The Black Bears had an early corner in the second half of extra time that caused a moment of panic in the box before the ball was ultimately sent over the bar by Maine. The hosts had another corner in the 105^th minute that resulted in a goal to put the Black Bears in front 3-2. Maine held off a late surge to claim the conference title.
 
Following the conclusion of the game, Calliste Brookshire, Taylor Burgess and Julia Edholm earned All-Championship Team honors. Brookshire tallied one goal and four assists in three postseason games while Edholm scored four goals in three games. Burgess made 17 saves in three postseason games.