Fill the Steins

As we here at Fill The Steins have shown you with our top ten countdown, Homecoming is always the most highly anticipated weekend of the fall semester.  It’s a time when students, alumni, friends, family, and supporters of the University of Maine come together for what is hopefully a beautiful autumn weekend in Orono.  The centerpiece of any school’s Homecoming weekend is the football game, and UMaine is no exception.  This year, the gridiron game isn’t the only show in town, as there are plenty of UMaine student-athletes to cheer on this weekend.

With that in mind, as part of our continuing coverage of UMaine Homecoming 2013, we proudly present our Fill The Steins preview of all varsity sporting events taking place on campus this weekend.

Women’s Ice Hockey vs. Quinnipiac – Friday 10/18 at 7pm and Saturday 10/19 at 2pm – The UMaine women’s hockey team has had a mixed start to their season.  After an opening 5-1 defeat at Boston College, the Lady Black Bears scratched out a hard fought 2-2 tie last Sunday at rival UNH.  This weekend, UMaine makes their regular season home debut with a Friday night/Saturday afternoon doubleheader against Quinnipiac.  The Bobcats come in to Orono on a three game winning streak, highlighted by back-to-back victories against Penn State last weekend by a combined score of 9-1.  While Quinnipiac will certainly provide a stiff test for the Black Bears, here’s hoping the Homecoming weekend home crowds, perhaps fueled by a little pregame stein-filling, will carry UMaine to a successful home opening weekend.

Football vs. William & Mary – Saturday 10/19 at 12:30pm – Ah, yes…the main event of the weekend.  The Homecoming football game!  The Black Bears come into this contest ranked 14th in one poll and 17th in another for FCS schools and on a two game winning streak.  As Fill The Steins highlighted after Maine’s scrappy defeat against Northwestern a few weeks back, this team is full of heart, character, and effort.  Those traits have served them well in conference play, where Maine has started the CAA season a perfect 2-0 to run their overall record to an impressive 5-1.  William & Mary (4-2 overall, 1-1 CAA) will be looking to build off their 27-14 win last weekend versus Penn and spoil the Black Bears’ Homecoming.  While Maine certainly can’t overlook a very competitive Tribe squad, we’re confident we’ll be filling the steins for dear ol’ Maine and to a football victory at about 3:30 Saturday afternoon.

Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Bentley – Saturday 10/19 at 7:30pm – After what we all hope is a football victory on Saturday afternoon, the UMaine men’s ice hockey team will look to keep those celebratory steins filled as they take on Bentley Saturday night.  Maine is coming off two tough losses last weekend at perennial college hockey power St. Lawrence and will be looking to get back to their winning ways in front of what is sure to be a raucous Homecoming crowd at Alfond Arena.  This will be a great opportunity for Coach Red Gendron’s bunch to show the UMaine faithful that they are, indeed, on the right track and rebuilding UMaine hockey into the national power it once was.  A UMaine win on the ice would unquestionably be a tremendous way to cap off an exciting Homecoming weekend of athletics on the Orono campus.

In addition to these Homecoming home games, the field hockey team hits the road this weekend for a Saturday afternoon game at Fairfield and a Sunday afternoon tilt at Yale.  Women’s soccer also packs their bags to take on UNH in Durham on Sunday afternoon.  The Homecoming faithful will surely be filling their steins from afar and cheering on the traveling Black Bears from home base in Orono.

So, there you have it.  A busy, fun-filled, and important Homecoming weekend of athletics in Orono.  While you’re on campus this weekend heading from game to game, don’t forget to stop by our #BlurredSteins tailgate in front of the Fieldhouse.  We promise you’ll never think of the words “Fill The Steins” in quite the same way again.  Go Blue!!!

Photo courtesy umaineathletics.blogspot.com