ORONO, Maine – It is 3,345 miles from Eugene, Oregon to Orono, Maine.
But two University of Oregon women’s soccer players, one from Australia and the other from England, decided they wanted to travel across the country to play for the University of Maine.
The close friendship of Lara Kirkby and Anna Phillips played an important role in their decisions to transfer.
Kirkby from Adelaide, Australia came first.
The midfielder, who had played just 185 minutes in her two seasons at Oregon, enrolled at UMaine in January, 2023.
In her first season last fall, she was not only an All-America East first team selection, she was also chosen the league tournament’s Most Valuable Player after scoring two goals in the 3-2 overtime win over UMass Lowell in the championship game.
She scored the game-winner with 5:28 left in the OT to give UMaine its first ever America East playoff title and NCAA playoff berth.
She was the second leading scorer for the 11-2-6 Black Bears with 11 points on four goals and three assists.
And she scored a goal in each of UMaine’s first two games this season, a 4-0 win at Le Moyne and a 1-1 tie at Syracuse.
Defender Anna Phillips from Bolton, England transferred to UMaine last January and, in her first two games in a Black Bear uniform last weekend, she earned America East Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Phillips’ two starts were her 56th and 57th consecutive starts.
Phillips was a captain at Oregon a year ago and, for the second straight year, led the Ducks in minutes played with 1,634. She logged 1,658 minutes in 2022.
Kirkby played a major role in Phillips’ decision to come to UMaine.
Phillips said she wasn’t happy with her soccer play and wasn’t enjoying it.
“I thought for my last year, I needed to go somewhere where I could enjoy soccer again. Lara and I have been friends since freshman year and have supported each other on and off the field,” said Phillips. “She knew I wasn’t happy and she said she was having a great time at Maine. She spoke so highly of the program and she asked me to join her.”
Phillips visited the Orono campus and fell in love with the place and its beauty. Kirkby understands.
“I think I do influence her in a good way for the most part,” said Kirkby. “I like it much better here. You can look on the field and see how happy the girls are. Everybody is smiling and enjoying themselves. We love what we do and it shows in the way we play.”
Kirkby, who is one of the team’s tri-captains along with the Schneider sisters, Emma and Myla, said UMaine helps her, and Phillips, as much as they help the team.
Phillips is thoroughly enjoying it, also.
“It is exactly what I hoped it would be. The coaches and players have been so welcoming. It feels like I’ve been here three years already and I’ve only been here one term,” said Phillips, who was on an 0-16-3 Oregon team last season.
UMaine head coach Scott Atherley said he couldn’t ask for two better people to come into the program.
“They have had such a great impact in all areas of our culture: on the field and in the classroom. They are terrific people and exceptional students,” said Atherley.
The veteran UMaine coach said they probably have the two highest soccer IQs on the team.
“They have a great understanding of the game so they read it exceptionally well and they are able to communicate their understanding and their organization to their teammates,” said Atherley. “That’s a real strength of both players.”
Phillips, a center back, is the leader of UMaine’s back line “from a communication standpoint.
“She knows how to hold the line, she is great at set pieces and great at organizing the team in set piece moments,” said Atherley.
“And Lara is great in both the attack and defending. She really helps organize the players,” Atherley added.
Phillips was a player at the Manchester City Academy, which helps produce players for the Football Association Women’s Super League team of the same name.
“She grew up playing with some of the most competitive women in the world,” said Atherley. “You have to be bold and brave in that environment.”
Phillips agreed.
“It was great. It was such a learning experience. I went into it late at age 13 and I learned so much. I got to train with the first team and got a lot of experience from a lot of different areas of soccer which really helped me over here because it’s a completely different game,” said Phillips.
Kirkby is honored to be one of the captains and wants to contribute to the team in any way she can. She particularly wants to help the new players develop.
She is optimistic about the season.
“We’re deeper in every position and we’re also more experienced,” said Kirkby whose goal this season is win another America East title and go far in the NCAA Tournament.
Phillips said she would “love to get a (America East championship) ring myself like the rest of the girls did.”
She feels they have the talent to repeat as America East champions and win games in the NCAA Tournament.
“We have to keep pushing each game, take it game by game and see where it takes us,” said Phillips who added that her Defender of the Week honor gave her some confidence.
“It pushes me to keep that up the rest of the season,” said Phillips.
UMaine will visit Rhode Island for a 1 p.m. game on Sunday.
