STANFORD, Calif. – Down 1-0 and 2-1 on Friday, California fought back to take a 3-2 lead over No. 18 Maine – on Yvie Lock's first goal of the season – in the America East Championship quarterfinals on the Farm. But the Golden Bears couldn't hold off the Black Bears, who scored late to send the game to overtime. Brianna Ricker – who also scored the first goal of the game – netted the gamewinner at 95:27 to give Maine the win.
 
"This is really what I expected at this level and in this tournament," Cal head coach Shellie Onstead said. "We've had a lot of battles with Maine through the years. I was super proud with how we didn't get flustered when we got down, battled back and trusted in each other. It was probably one of our most complete games. We lost Katrina (Carter) early; she had to go off early and get stitches, so that compromised our rotations and our subbing. People just had to pick up the slack and do what they had to do. We played almost everybody.
 
"It was a really great finish. They just made that one good play at the end. They scored a good goal. Danielle (Mentink) made them score a good goal. We left it all on the field, and that's what you want from your team. I'm sorry for my seniors. I'd like to see them get another game in. They played their hearts out. Ending the season's always tough"
 
Cal ends 2018 with a 5-12 record.
 
Maine (15-4) will play the host Cardinal in Saturday's semifinal round.
 
After Ricker's early goal, Cal senior forward Melina Moore shot to the left side of the net to collect her fifth goal of the season at 4:30 and tie the quarterfinal, 1-1, at 4:39. Libby Riedl scored at 27:45 to give Maine a 2-1 lead it took into halftime.
 
Cal bounced back soon after the second stanza began. At 36:14, the Golden Bears won an early penalty corner that set up Femke Delissen's second goal of the year, off assists from senior forward Janaye Sakkas and junior midfielder Lindsay Mathison, to tie the game at 2-2. Cal's pressure resulted in the go-ahead goal at 46:30, as Lock, a sophomore midfielder, scored on a deflected shot.
 
Shellie Onstead's Bears held the lead for almost 20 minutes. But a Maine penalty corner produced Casey Crowley's goal at 65:57 and ultimately sent the game to sudden-victory overtime.
 
In what was an evenly played game, Cal had an 11-10 edge in penalty corners, while Maine led 21-19 in shots. The Black Bears had a 4-3 advantage in overtime shots, with the last one – an unassisted effort by Rickers – ending Cal's season.