WINDHAM — After losing at Portland in the season opener last month, Tyler Woolston of Windham stepped off the team bus at the high school, went to the practice field, turned on his car lights and shot at the goal for an hour.
Friday night, Woolston scored twice in the fourth quarter as the Eagles got their payback, coming away with an 8-7 victory that sent Portland to its first boys’ lacrosse loss of the season.
Portland’s Drew Leonard, 14, and Evan Bay try to stop Windham’s Tom Lekuosi, 2, in second half.
The win was Windham’s ninth straight after that opening loss.
“This was a great team win; it was probably one of the best team wins we’ve had all year,” said Woolston. “We came down the field on offense and were really patient. A lot of games this year one person wanted to take it by themself but tonight we did a nice job as a team and everyone got opportunities.”
Woolston finished with two goals and as assist for the Eagles.
Windham’s Logan Heckman, 24, works around Portland’s Miki Silva in the first half.
“(Our forwards) have been scoring a lot of goals but our midfielders across the board can score,” Windham Coach Peter Small said. “We’ve got weapons offensively so if anyone is locked off, we have five others on the field who can score.”
The Bulldogs took their only lead at 4-3 when Kevin Moore scored from 20 feet from Miki Silva with 6:54 left in the third quarter. Windham answered with two goals in a 2:27 span – by Liam McCusker, then Grant Jacobson on a power play.
Portland tied it on Reilly O’Brien’s goal with 11 seconds left in the third quarter, but the Eagles responded again, scoring twice in 1:54 to take a two-goal lead. Woolston scored first when he picked up an errant pass behind the net and curled in for a close shot. Travis Brown made it 7-5 with 7:05 left after taking a cross-field pass in transition from Brady Jackson.
Woolston won it with 3:30 left when he came out from behind the net and, almost even with the goal line, got low and fired a shot on a bounce.
Reilly O’Brien of Portland, 9, drives on Windham’s Connor McInnis in the first half.
“(After the Portland loss) Tyler wasn’t upset, he wasn’t disappointed,” Small said. “He just wanted to get better. That’s the type of kid he is.”
Windham goalie Ben Elliott totaled 12 saves. Portland unleashed three late shots but Elliott deflected Moore’s bid with 30 seconds left and Silva’s 25-foot shot 19 seconds later.
“We knew going in their goalie can hang in the net,” Portland Coach Mike DiFusco said. “We knew we had to give him good shots and just couldn’t find those goods shots tonight.”
O’Brien had three goals and two assists for the Bulldogs. Sam Gerber finished with two goals and one assist, and Sam Shaw had a goal and an assist.
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