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| Contributed photo/jMavor Photography Players pile on top of Erin Patton after she scored the winning goal in overtime in Caribou’s victory over Presque Isle Friday. The preliminary playoff win advanced the Vikes into Tuesday’s quarterfinal, where they took on Oceanside in Rockland. |
By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
CARIBOU — After a pair of convincing victories over the Wildcats during the regular season, Caribou coach Todd Albert expected more resistance from Presque Isle when the two teams met in Friday’s Eastern Maine Class B preliminary playoff game. He got exactly that.
Still, the Vikings were able to survive thanks to Erin Patton’s goal off a Delaney Williams assist with 5:36 to play in the first overtime period, giving Caribou a 1-0 win.
The fifth-seeded Caribou squad moved on to the quarterfinals to play No. 4 Oceanside in Rockland Tuesday afternoon, with the winner advancing to play either No. 1 Waterville or No. 9 Old Town in Saturday’s semifinal round.
“We decided to buckle down and work extra hard,” Patton said following her game-winner. “When we got into overtime, we knew we needed to shoot more.”
Patton took her shot in front of the goal from approximately 12 yards out. She blasted it past Jillian Flynn, the Wildcat goalkeeper, inside the right post.
Although the teams went scoreless, both had close to the same number of opportunities during regulation and the first few minutes of overtime. Caribou’s Sarah Doak, who was moved into the defense for the game, had a couple of free kicks from shooting range that were snuffed out during the second half. Clara Collins and Eileen Patton also made strong surges toward the goal, only to be denied by the Wildcat defense.
Presque Isle generated its best chances when sophomore Taylor Williams, normally a back, was moved to the front line to try to spark the offense. Her try from in front of the goal mouth following a PI corner kick with two minutes left in regulation was saved due to a quick reaction by Viking goalkeeper Morgan Outing. Early in overtime, the Wildcats’ Krystal Kingsbury and Danielle Allen both attempted long shots that were just off the mark.
Caribou then went on a flurry that eventually led to the game-ending play. Bria Judd, who was held in check throughout the game, finally got loose for a shot from 15 yards out that cleared the cross bar. Williams also had a chance, but her attempt also sailed high. Three minutes later, however, Williams fed Patton to break the shutout and send Caribou into the next round.
Albert decided to change his team’s normal scheme and send the tall and athletic Doak back to play defense because he expected PI to go into more of a defensive mode themselves and play for a quick counter.
“We made that move late in our win at Presque Isle a week earlier. Plus she’s played there before in middle school,” Albert said. “Sarah is pretty calm and collected back there and that certainly helps.”
Wildcat coach Ralph Michaud knew his team needed to try something different after the ’Cats had lost the regular season matches by scores of 5-1 and 3-1. He started Williams on the front line and moved her back and forth depending on the situation. Defensively, he was proud of the way his squad defended Judd, who is the Vikings’ school-record holder for goals in a season but was held in check throughout.
“We told our girls not to defend over aggressively and to keep their forwards in front of them, especially when the ball was on the wing,” Michaud said. “I was very proud of the intensity we showed. I thought we played our best game of the year.”
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| Contributed photo/jMavor Photography Bria Judd of the Caribou Vikings, left, battles Presque Isle’s Taylor Williams for possession during Friday’s preliminary playoff match at CHS. The Vikings won in overtime, 1-0. |
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| Contributed photo/jMavor Photography Freshman wing Maddie Doucette of the Caribou Vikings leaps over Presque Isle goalkeeper Jillian Flynn, who smothers the ball for one of her four saves Friday evening. |
