Liam MacKenzie – Treasurer/Sports Editor
Orono, ME – The Merrimack women’s soccer team earned its first victory of the 2026 season Thursday night, delivering a strong performance in a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Maine Black Bears at the New Balance Soccer Complex. The Warriors showed composure and resilience throughout the match, responding to a late Maine equalizer with a game-winning goal in the final minute.
With the victory, Merrimack improves to 1-2-1 on the season and gains valuable momentum moving forward. The Warriors’ late response highlighted their determination and ability to perform in critical moments.
Antonucci Opens the Scoring – Merrimack established an early advantage in the 35th minute when Lucia Antonucci found the back of the net at 34:09. The freshman’s first career goal gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead and provided Merrimack with momentum heading into halftime.
The Warriors maintained their advantage throughout much of the second half, continuing to compete on both ends of the field as Maine looked for an opportunity to level the match.
Maine Levels the Match – Maine eventually found the equalizer with the clock winding down. Audrey Palmer scored at 87:20, with Britta Denny credited with the assist, bringing the match to 1-1 with less than three minutes remaining.
Rather than allowing the late equalizer to shift the outcome, Merrimack remained composed and continued to push forward. The Warriors’ response would come just moments later.
Geloso Delivers the Game-Winner – With the match approaching its final whistle, Gabrielle Geloso provided the decisive moment for Merrimack. Geloso scored at 89:27, putting the Warriors ahead 2-1 with just 33 seconds remaining in regulation.
The late goal capped off a memorable finish for Merrimack, as the Warriors successfully defended their advantage through the final seconds to secure their first victory of the season.
Readers can watch Geloso’s game-winning goal in the link below.
A Strong Foundation Moving Forward – The victory represents an important step forward for Merrimack early in the 2026 campaign. The Warriors demonstrated their ability to maintain their composure, respond to adversity and capitalize on an opportunity when the match was on the line.
With Antonucci opening the scoring and Geloso providing the late-game heroics, Merrimack left Orono with its first win of 2026 and positive momentum to carry into its upcoming matches.
