The Class D top-ranked Southern Aroostook Lady Warriors narrowly escaped the unyielding no. 4 Katahdin Lady Cougars, 1-0, after double overtime in Dyer Brook last Saturday.
Photograph courtesy of Jessica Porter
CONTROLS – Southern Aroostook’s Brittany Charette takes control of the ball, as Katahdin’s JaLisa Moore moves in on the play. The Lady Warriors defeated Katahdin, 1-0, in double overtime. They will meet Ashland today at 1 p.m. in the Class D finals.
The Lady Warriors (14-1-1) move to today’s Eastern Maine final against Ashland — which defeated Van Buren 1-0 in double overtime penalty kicks — at 1 p.m. in Dyer Brook.
The Lady Cougars finish at 8-6-2.
“I’m expecting another very close game,” said SACS coach Holly Vining of today’s matchup. “We split with them on the season.”
Both games were won by identical 3-0 scores.
“Ashland is fast and aggressive, but so are we,” Vining said. “They play a little different style than we do, but if we can win the ball, control it and move it up the field by making quick, accurate passes, we’ll have a good shot. But, if they beat us to the ball the way they did when we played them on their turf, we could be in trouble.”
Vining is hoping the home field advantage serves the Lady Warriors well, since Ashland’s three losses this season were all away games.
In the semifinal game, the Lady Cougars played valiantly, as they were undermanned and beat up.
“My kids played their heart out,” said Katahdin coach Phil Faulkner. “They went 105 minutes without a break or sub. They’ve been super all year long. I couldn’t ask for any more.”
But, Southern Aroostook was also tired and sore.
“We too worked our tails off,” said Vining. “My girls never faltered. They never gave up under some intense pressure.”
The Lady Warriors used the gusting wind in the first half to their advantage, as they dominated the play, but Katahdin’s entrenched defense wouldn’t be broken.
“The game was crazy,” explained Vining. “It was very intense and the wind was fierce. We were expecting an even match, and sure enough, it was.”
Even with the wind at their backs causing erratic ball movement, the Lady Warriors couldn’t get a shot to fall.
“The key to the whole game was our defense,” Faulkner said. “We stopped them time after time. My back line, goalie and front line — I had to pull them back — did a tremendous job.”
The Lady Cougars played a diamond defense, with Olivia McNally marking Southern Aroostook scorer Liz Goodall.
“Olivia did an outstanding job,” Faulkner said. “My three amigas in the back line, Sarah Goodman, Hope Heath and Kali Rush, protected our goalie Dani-Beth [Cyr].”
Just before halftime, the Katahdin girls had the ball in the penalty area. Faulkner said his girls had “seven cracks at putting it in.” The Lady Cougars either mis-kicked or kicked it away off SACS’ defensemen.
In the second half, the Lady Warriors’ momentum crashed, however, Katahdin was relentless in their attack.
“They had lots of opportunities in the second half,” said Vining. “We handed them corner kick after corner kick. I was sure the wind would eventually carry one into the net, but thank God, it never panned out.”
Vining said even though Katahdin dominated through the second half, her girls went at it “like a team of workhorses. They were tired, two were badly injured and yet they never let up,” she said.
With the game still scoreless at the end of regulation, the Southern Aroostook girls got their second wind, Katahdin probably their third or fourth, facing a sudden death overtime. Katahdin had the ball and wind in their favor, and they nearly capitalized on the benefit.
“That was a major downer because the wind was obviously affecting our game,” Vining said. “Our kicks weren’t going anywhere.”
The Lady Cougars dictated the first overtime and almost pulled the upset when Melissa Duffy carried the ball down the left wing and fired a shot that bounced off the bottom of the goal post.
“I really thought that was going to be it,” Vining said, as did coach Faulkner.
After surviving the near fatal shot, the Lady Warriors regained their energy knowing they now had the wind in their favor in the second overtime.
With just over seven minutes into the second sudden death, SACS striker Brittany Charette fielded a Rochelle Nadeau pass at the top of the 18, just in front of the goal. Charette dribbled the ball in a few steps and fired a shot toward the corner of the net. As Katahdin goalie Cyr dove prone, the ball trickled off her fingers, and with a backspin, barely crossed the line for the game-winner.
“I don’t know how our girls managed to battle that wind for 55 minutes and come out on top, but they did,” Vining said. “It’s their tenacity, determination, courage, and grit that has led this team to an Eastern Maine final, and they should be recognized for it no matter what the outcome of today’s game.”
“My kids were heartbroken,” Faulkner said. “But, they have nothing to hang their heads about. They were tremendous to watch. We aren’t a kick-and-run team, we make nice passes and some nice moves down the field and we attack consistently.”
The Lady Warriors put 17 shots on goal, with Katahdin having 14 attempts.
“It was quite a matchup,” Vining said. “Both teams should be proud. They both played very well.”
The Lady Cougars’ display of determination, effort and desire is unmatched, and nearly gave them a title bid.
“We just came up short a little,” Faulkner said. “It’s not bad considering we started 1-4-1. We had a really good season. I had good kids, who changed positions and worked hard. They put up with this old grouch and almost made it to the Eastern Maine final.”
Throughout the year, the Lady Cougars resembled a MASH outfit, said Faulkner, but they always came through.
“With our numbers and the sacrifices they had to make in order to attain any success, I couldn’t have asked for more,” Faulkner said. “They gave it their all and they had nothing left.”
In the Lady Warriors’ semifinal game against Bangor Christian, Liz Goodall scored twice and assisted on another goal as Southern Aroostook picked up a 5-3 win.
Evangeline Goodall scored a goal and chipped in with an assist, while Janel Rockwell and Charette each added a tally. Olivia Raymond added an assist for the winners, while goalie Emily Cummings combined with Mallory Lawlor to stop six of 12 shots faced.
For the Lady Cougars who defeated Washburn, 3-0, JaLisa Moore scored twice and Duffy once. Mary-Jo Robinson and Brooke Livezey each had assists. Goalie Dani-Beth Cyr stopped all 14 shots.
“We started slow, it was tough footing on one end,” Faulkner said.
The Lady Cougars scored a goal to take a 1-0 halftime lead. Then the momentum kicked in.
“They had one shot in the second half,” said Faulkner. “It was defense, defense, defense.”
The Beavers’ netkeeper Rachel Palmer had 13 saves on 16 shots, as Washburn finishes 8-7-1.
LOOSE BALL – Katahdin’s Olivia McNally, left, and teammate go for a loose ball along with Southern Aroostook’s Liz Goodall. The Lady Warriors edged Katahdin, 1-0, in the Class D semifinals.
REACTION – Southern Aroostook’s coach Holly Vining jumps into Lauren McGary’s arms, as they celebrate their hard-fought Class D semifinal win over Katahdin last Saturday. The Lady Warriors meet Ashland today in Dyer Brook at 1 p.m. to vie for the regional title.
