KENNEBUNK — The girls’ lacrosse game between Kennebunk and Massabesic had all the ingredients Thursday night: Two undefeated teams, two defending state champions and two powers that look poised to meet again in the Class A South final June 13.
And the game lived up to its hype.
Trailing by one goal with less than 30 seconds left, Massabesic had a chance to take the game into overtime with a shot from the free position. But Haley Moody made the save to preserve a 7-6 victory that secured home-field advantage for Kennebunk in the playoffs.
“Throughout the game they had gotten me so I was like, ‘OK, not with 15 seconds left. That’s not the way we’re going to end this game,’ ” said Moody.
Moody – who ended with six saves – had her hands full. The Mustangs scored all of their goals from the free position.
Erin Gorton led the Rams (10-0), last year’s Class B champion who moved up to Class A, with three goals and an assist. Skylar Renaud scored three goals for Massabesic (10-1).
“We grew in this game for sure – our team was tested, and Haley (Moody) was tested big-time,” Kennebunk Coach Annie Barker said of the Rams, whose average winning margin was more than eight goals. “One of our goals today was patience. We don’t need to shoot the ball if we’ve got it. Just wait for the perfect shot to come.”
With a one-goal lead late in the game, the Rams tried to run out the clock. But a high pass gave Massabesic possession and a chance to tie it with 1:45 left.
“We were talking about putting a little bit of pressure on them there. We knew we had to be clean coming out of that zone because we had to get that opportunity to tie the game up,” Massabesic Coach Brooks Bowen said. “But the clock worked against us in the end.”
Kennebunk scored first – Emily Archibald from Gorton 1:15 into the game. Morgan Pike and Madison Drain answered with a goal apiece to give Massabesic its only lead.
The Rams responded with four straight goals over a six-minute span.
Gorton kicked off the run with 18:32 left in the half before Hallie Schwartzman scored from the free position with 14:43 left. Thirty-one seconds later, Lily Schwartzman added a goal – assisted by Brie Beaudette – and Liz Kiezulas scored on a breakaway to put Kennebunk up 5-2 with 12:38 left.
With a pair of goals, Renaud cut Kennebunk’s lead to 5-4 entering halftime.
Gorton scored a minute into the second half before adding another goal from Hallie Schwartzman with 20:31 left, extending Kennebunk’s lead to 7-4.
It was the last time the Rams would score.
“There was definitely pressure but I think our whole team just settled each other down well enough to play our game,” Gorton said. “It’s hard in the last seconds to stay composed.”
With 16:08 left, Logan Champlin scored for the Mustangs before Renaud rounded out the scoring for Massabesic less than five minutes later.
“Historically, this is a one-goal game year-in and year-out,” Bowen said. “Let’s hope we’re back here in a couple weeks.”
Taylor Vortherms can be contacted at 791-6417 or
tvortherms@pressherald.com
Twitter: TaylorVortherms
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