March 28, 2024
COLLEGE REPORT

Knee injury sidelines Black Bears’ Martel UMaine seeks balance without leading scorer

Lewiston’s Laura Martel, the University of Maine women’s soccer team-leading goal scorer with three this season, has been lost for the season with a knee injury.

She will be a medical redshirt, according to Maine coach Scott Atherley. She will have two years of eligibility remaining.

The junior striker was Maine’s leading scorer with six goals and an assist in 16 games last season and scored three times in the first half of the Bears’ season-opening 3-0 win over Sacred Heart (Conn.) on Aug. 23.

She was injured two games later in a collision with University of Rhode Island goalie Jackie Fede.

Martel was selected to the America East All-Rookie team two years ago when she had three goals and an assist in 16 games.

The loss of the former high school All-American is a significant one, according to Atherley.

“She makes a tremendous impact on our team,” said Atherley. “She’s a goal scorer. She’s somebody teams key on. When you take her out of the equation, it makes us a little more predictable.

“The bottom line is we have to get [scoring] balance. Another thing we’ve talked a lot about is manufacturing chances off restarts. We’ve got to look for alternative ways to score on set pieces, throw-ins and corners,” Atherley added.

Martel is one of six strikers used by Atherley this season.

The others are senior Christine LaBelle, junior Veronique Fleury, sophomore Hannah Breton of Greenville and newcomers Carolyne Nellis and Alli Krous. Krous is a junior who transferred from Walla Walla Community College (Wash.).

MMA Hall of Fame to induct 3

Vanessa (LeBlond) Vigue will become the first female inducted into the William J. Mottola Mariner Athletics Hall of Fame when Maine Maritime Academy holds its ceremony on Sept. 27.

Vigue, who became the Castine school’s first female 1,000-point scorer in basketball, will be honored along with former football star Kirk Matthieu and instructor, coach and administrator Ed Biggie during the 10:30 a.m. induction at the BIW Center.

Vigue, who finished with 1,100 points and 889 career rebounds, was a three-time team captain and MVP who earned All-North Atlantic Conference first-team accolades in 1999 and 2000. She helped the Mariners win three straight NAC championships under former MMA coach Deidra Davis.

Matthieu, a Fairfield native, had a stellar career for the Mariners. The speedy running back finished his stint in Castine ranked No. 1 all-time in NCAA Division III all-purpose yardage with 7,004, was third in career rushing yardage (5,180) and had the fifth-best single-game rushing total (337 yards).

Matthieu, a graduate of Lawrence High School, also ranked fifth in all-purpose yards and 12th in rushing yards, regardless of division affiliation.

As a senior, he was named to The Associated Press Little All-America team.

Biggie retired in 2007 after serving 39 years as a coach, teacher and administrator at MMA. He started out as a physical education instructor and assistant football coach but went on to become an athletic trainer and the head wrestling coach (1968-81).

Biggie taught skin and scuba diving for 31 years, certifying more than 1,600 NAUI divers, and operated the open water diving certification program. After becoming an associate professor in 1977, he held the position of aquatics director until his retirement while also serving as a football assistant and head men’s basketball coach.

Biggie was appointed lieutenant commander in 1981, was chosen as MMA’s Outstanding Faculty Member in 1993 and taught every incoming MMA student during his 39 years.

Miller sets Georgetown XC mark

Levi Miller of Georgetown University established a course record recently while winning the James Madison University Open and the Old Nassau Run.

Miller, a senior from Belfast, completed the five miles in 24 minutes, 43.6 seconds to set the record. His run sparked the Hoyas to the men’s team title in the JMU Open.

The Georgetown men were ranked 10th in the nation in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s first poll of the season.

Miller, who earned the 2004 state Class B individual cross country crown, also was the state indoor champion in the mile and the outdoor champion in the 1,600 meters, 3,200 meters and 4×400-meter relay.


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