Westbrook 6
McAuley 0
Westbrook’s Ashley Clifford mustn’t have gotten the message that it was McAuley’s homecoming on Saturday. The Blazes senior did her best to spoil the Lions’ party, knocking home three first half goals and adding an assist to lead Westbrook to a 6-0 win.
The win was the second shutout in a row for the 5-2 Blazes, who beat Marshwood 1-0 on a Clifford goal on Sept. 18. The Blazes ran the shutout streak to three in a row on Sept. 22 as Westbrook downed Portland 2-0 at home.
On Saturday, the Blazes came out fast, keeping the play down in the McAuley end of the field, and that paid off just under three minutes into the game as the Blazes’ Kathryn Bois scored off a penalty corner with 27:07 left in the half. Clifford got the assist on the goal.
Clifford kept the pressure on, getting several good scoring opportunities in the next several minutes, and that hard work paid off as she pounced on a rebound in front of the Lions’ net and drove it home to give Westbrook a 2-0 lead with 18:06 left in the half.
Just under four minutes later, Clifford struck again. With 14:29 left in the half, McAuley goalie Jamie LaCasse made a save off a Blazes’ penalty corner, but just like before, Clifford was in the prefect position and put the rebound in for her second goal of the game and a 3-0 Blazes’ lead.
Clifford completed her hat trick with 7:15 left in the half, and it was very similar to her two earlier goals. With Westbrook taking another penalty corner, La Casse made a nice pad save, but once again, the ball went to Clifford, who slammed it home to give the Blazes a 4-0 lead at halftime.
As the second half began, Westbrook appeared to decide that it was time for some scorers other than Clifford to get in on the action. With 23:18 left to go in the game, Westbrook’s Danielle Bouchard got the ball to Victoria Robertson in front of the net and Robertson converted to make the score 5-0.
The Blazes got their final goal of the game with 16:51 left as Cori Knott got the ball to Kristen Wescott, who put it home to give the Blazes a 6-0 lead.
Elizabeth Conley had four saves for Westbrook in earning the shutout win.
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