PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Striker Madison Michaud scored three times, goalkeeper Savannah Rodriguez made 10 saves and the rest of the lineup contributed on offense and filled their roles on defense, leading No. 2 Presque Isle to Saturday’s efficient 4-0 victory over sixth-seeded Waterville in the Class B North soccer semifinals.
The Wildcats improved to 13-3 and reached Wednesday’s regional championship game for the first time since 2012. They will host No. 9 Hermon, a 2-0 winner over No. 13 Maine Central Institute Saturday. Presque Isle defeated the Hawks, 3-1, in a regular season home game Oct. 9.
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- Presque Isle sophomore midfielder Paige McHatten rips a shot from outside the 18-yard line against Waterville defender Lilyan Foster during the second half of the Class B North girls’ semifinal game played at the Johnson Athletic Complex Saturday. (Contributed photo/Dave Allen Graphics)
The match against the Panthers was scoreless and even for nearly 30 minutes before PI senior midfielder Emily Wheaton stole the ball at midfield and delivered a long pass to Michaud at the top of the box. Her low shot from the right side, taken from 20 yards out, was deflected after a diving save by goalkeeper Alyssa Drew, but Clara Kohlbacher ran onto the ball and rolled it over the goal line.
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- Presque Isle’s Madison Michaud slips the ball past Waterville goalkeeper Alyssa Drew as she comes out to challenge on the breakaway during the second half of the Class B North girls’ semifinal game played at the Johnson Athletic Complex Saturday. Michaud scored three goals in the Wildcats’ 4-0 victory. (Contributed photo/Dave Allen Graphics)
The Wildcats scored again with just under six minutes left in the half when Paige McHatten won a 50-50 ball and sent a deep pass to Michaud, who made a move against the defender on the left side inside the 18-yard line and ripped a low line drive inside the right post.
With the two-goal lead at intermission, which PI hadn’t enjoyed since midway through the regular season, coach Ralph Michaud said his squad “was on its heels a little bit against [Waterville’s] attack before they started to get more aggressive.”
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- Presque Isle sophomore Clara Kohlbacher controls the ball against Waterville’s Anika Elias during the second half of the Class B North girls’ semifinal soccer match played at the Johnson Athletic Complex. (Contributed photo/Dave Allen Graphics)
Sophomore back Charlotte Carrier covered up Waterville’s top scorer, junior Anika Elias, and the rest of the Wildcat defense held tough.
“Charlotte was awesome on Elias after they moved her to the front line early in the second half,” coach Michaud said. “She didn’t get many touches.”
Presque Isle put the match away on two more goals by Michaud over the final nine minutes. The first came courtesy of a Wheaton assist, with Michaud toeing in a shot after Drew had met her near the top of the box.
“Basketball players have great vision and that helps,” coach Michaud said of Wheaton’s play. “She made a great pass to Maddie and that really put the game away.”
The second came with 3:48 remaining on a 10-yarder that Michaud put away after receiving a pass from Natalie Bates.
With the hat trick, Michaud built on her single-season school record scoring total, which has now reached 33 goals.
“I told her to go ahead and put that record out of reach,” coach Michaud said. “She never ceases to amaze me with what she can do. She’s such a great finisher.”
Waterville ended up 12-3-1 and had a strong finish to the season despite losing three key seniors to injury, two with ACL injuries and one with a concussion.
“Considering the way we had to glue the lineup together, we played well over the last three or four games,” said Panther coach Mark Serdjenian, whose team beat No. 11 Foxcroft Academy and No. 3 Winslow earlier in the playoffs. His squad also held an 18-16 shot advantage over Presque Isle in Saturday’s match. “But Presque Isle played well today and their two players [Rodriguez and Michaud] we expected to be very good were and we didn’t do much about it.”
