STACYVILLE, Maine — A pair of hat tricks was more than enough firepower for Katahdin to blast its way into a Class D North quarterfinals.
No. 5 Katahdin (10-5 overall) received three goals from senior Erin Lake and three more from eighth-grader Cassidy Rasoilo as the Cougars routed No. 12 Deer Isle-Stonington 6-0 Friday evening.
With the victory, the Cougars find themselves facing a familiar foe in the quarterfinals as Katahdin will meet up with No. 4 Southern Aroostook on Wednesday, Oct. 24. The two squads have already met twice on the season, with the Cougars winning both — 4-1 at Dyer Brook and 2-0 in Stacyville.
The Mariners end their season with a 2-11-2 record.
“We are very fortunate to have some really good eighth-graders who have come on for us as the season has gone on,” Katahdin Coach Shawn McAvoy said. “They girls are not intimidated by anything and really tough.”
The Cougars have four eighth-graders on the squad: Isabelle Brownlee, Autumn McGraw, Charlotte Hartt and Rasoilo.
In Friday’s contest, the Cougars outshot DI-S 23-2 and peppered Mariners goalie Katie Hutchinson early and often. Hutchinson briefly exited the net in favor of Kaylee Morey in the first half before returning about five minutes later. The two combined to make 14 saves. Katahdin also held a 6-2 edge in corner kicks.
Nikita Keim finished with six saves for the Cougars.
Emily Beyer had an assist for the Cougars, but for the most part it was the dual scoring threats of Lake and Rasoilo who did all their damage in one-on-one situations with the DI-S defense.
Lake got Katahdin on the scoreboard in the game’s opening minutes as she collected a ball near midfield, danced her way through a series of defenders and bested Hutchinson with a low shot to the left corner from about 10 yards out.
Rasoilo was credited with her first goal of the game as she launched a shot from the left wing that bounced off a defender and into the goal. Later in the first half, she struck again as Lake sent a through-pass to Rasoilo on the left wing. Rasoilo launched a high, arcing shot to the far post for the game’s third goal of the game.
Lake delivered two more goals in the second half, while Rasoilo got her third, also in the second half.
“When you get into the playoffs you have to have the mindset that it is a brand-new season,” McAvoy said. “That is how we approached this game and will simply take things one game at a time.”
He said he was pleased with the hustle and intensity the team showed.
“We really played well as a team tonight,” he said. “They communicated well and their passing has improved every game.”
