Greely freshman goalie Hannah Perfetti is mobbed by her teammates during the Rangers’ 11-10 double-overtime home victory over Cape Elizabeth in Saturday’s regular season finale. Perfetti made four huge saves in OT to help Greely secure the No. 3 seed for the Class B playoffs.
Mike Strout photos.
More photos below.
BOX SCORE
Greely 11 Cape Elizabeth 10 (2 OT)
CE- 4 6 0 0- 10
G- 5 5 0 1- 11
First half
22:50 CE K. Chapin (free position)
20:35 CE Graham (unassisted)
20:22 G Sullivan (unassisted)
17:14 G Van Curan (free position)
10:42 CE K. Chapin (unassisted)
9:05 CE Healy (free position)
6:04 G Clement (unassisted)
5:23 G Spencer (Clement)
19.4 G Sullivan (unassisted)
Second half
24:03 CE C. Chapin (free position)
19:19 G Sullivan (Clement)
17:03 G Clement (unassisted)
15:40 CE Healy (unassisted)
9:00 G Van Curan (unassisted)
7:45 CE C. Chapin (free position)
7:36 CE Graham (K. Chapin)
5:36 G Bennert (Clement)
3:39 G Spencer (unassisted)
3:15 CE Gillian (unassisted)
1:16 CE Healy (unassisted)
First overtime
No scoring
Second overtime
30.7 G Clement (Sullivan)
Goals:
CE- Healy 3, C. Chapin, K. Chapin, Graham 2, Gillian 1
G- Clement, Sullivan 3, Spencer, Van Curan 2, Bennert 1
Assists:
CE- K. Chapin 1
G- Clement 3, Sullivan 1
Draws (Greely, 13-11)
CE- Harvey 9 of 14, C. Chapin 2 of 9, Thoreck 0 of 1
G- Goldburg 11 of 20, Sullivan 2 of 4
Ground balls
CE- 41
G- 29
Turnovers:
CE- 20
G- 21
Shots:
CE- 24
G- 21
Shots on cage:
CE- 19
G- 17
Saves:
CE (Foley) 6
G (Perfetti) 9 (Kaplan) 0
CUMBERLAND—On a day when its seniors were honored, it was a pair of Greely underclassmen who had the most seismic impact on a regular season-ending victory that won’t soon be forgotten.
Hosting Cape Elizabeth at Glenn A. Hutchins Field, the Rangers needed a win to move up in the standings and they got it, but it took nearly six extra minutes, which only made it that much more dramatic and satisfying.
The Capers, who had their playoff spot already locked up, started fast, getting goals from sophomore Karl Chapin and senior Susie Graham before Greely awakened and drew even behind goals from seniors Courtney Sullivan and Greta Van Curan.
Cape Elizabeth went back on top by two, as Chapin and senior Emily Healy found the net, but late in the first half, Greely got goals from junior Brooke Clement (more on her later), senior Jen Spencer and Sullivan to grab a 5-4 advantage at halftime.
After a first half of little separation, there was no more clarity in the second half.
After the Capers drew even 57 seconds into the second half on a free position shot from senior Chloe Chapin, the Rangers got goals from Sullivan and Clement before Healy got a goal back to make it 7-6.
With 9 minutes to play, Van Curan gave Greely some breathing room, but Chloe Chapin and Graham scored in a nine-second span to tie the score, 8-8.
With 5:36 left, sophomore Katie Bennert put the hosts back on top and two minutes later, Spencer made it a two-goal game, but Cape Elizabeth refused to go quietly, getting goals from junior Grace Gillian with 3:15 left and Healy with 1:16 on the clock to tie it, 10-10, and force overtime.
Where Greely freshman goalie Hannah Perfetti took center stage.
Twice in the first three-minute session, Perfetti robbed Healy point blank to keep the score tied and force a second OT.
There, Perfetti denied Healy and Chloe Chapin and finally, the Rangers had an opportunity to end it.
They did so, as Sullivan broke free and raced up the field and just before going to goal, she fed Clement, who sent a shot past Capers junior goalie Erin Foley into the net to give Greely a palpitating 11-10 victory.
Clement and Sullivan both scored three times, Perfetti made nine huge saves and the Rangers snapped a three-game skid, finished the regular season 8-4 and ended Cape Elizabeth’s campaign at 7-5 in the process.
“That’s the best it gets,” said Greely coach Becca Koelker. “Two really good teams taking it to the end. It was great preparation for the playoffs. It’s a big boost of confidence for us. Cape’s a great team. They have such great talent.”
Forty-eight minutes not enough
Both teams have played their share of thrilling games this season and have won the majority of them, and Saturday would prove to be another.
Greely, which didn’t make the playoffs in 2017, started with a 16-4 victory at North Yarmouth Academy. After a 13-5 loss at defending Class B champion Kennebunk, the Rangers downed host Morse (14-3), visiting Waynflete (7-5), visiting Gorham (8-7), visiting York (8-6), host Freeport (13-10) and visiting Scarborough (12-6), before their six-game win streak was snapped by visiting St. Dom’s, 14-13, in overtime. After falling at Lake Region, 13-10, Greely lost a close one at Yarmouth Wednesday, 12-10.
Cape Elizabeth, which lost to eventual champion Kennebunk in last year’s Class B South semifinals, started with a 9-8 overtime home win over York, then fell to visiting Kennebunk, 9-3. After a 17-2 win at Fryeburg Academy and an 18-10 home victory over Messalonskee, the Capers fell at St. Dom’s (11-9) and at home to Yarmouth (9-6) before beating visiting Thornton Academy (13-1). After a 16-6 victory at Waynflete and a close 12-10 loss at defending Class A champion Massabesic, Cape Elizabeth rolled at home over NYA (20-4) and edged visiting Lake Region in a double-overtime thriller, 12-11.
Entering play Saturday, Cape Elizabeth had won 15 of 24 meetings dating to 2002 (see sidebar, below), including a 13-10 decision last spring in Cumberland.
This time around, after seniors from both teams were honored, the Capers had ample opportunities to prevail again, but it would be Greely that celebrated at the end.
It took 2 minutes and 10 seconds for Cape Elizabeth to open the scoring, as Karli Chapin beat Perfetti on a free position shot for a 1-0 lead.
Bennert looked to tie the score, but Foley made the save and at the other end, with 20:35 to go in the first half, Graham scored unassisted for a 2-0 advantage.
Just 13 seconds later, after scooping up a ground ball off a draw win by freshman Sam Goldburg, Sullivan raced in and fired a shot past Foley to get the Rangers on the board.
With 17:14 to play in the half, a free position shot by Van Curan tied the score, 2-2.
Spencer then tried to put Greely on top, but Foley made the save.
After Perfetti made a save on Karli Chapin at the other end, Foley robbed Goldburg and Clement tried to score on a free position and Foley saved that shot as well.
The Capers then went back on top, 3-2, when Karli Chapin scored unassisted with 10:42 remaining before halftime.
With 9:05 left, Healy scored for the first time, on a free position, and the lead was two again.
Again, the Rangers came back.
After Foley denied Goldburg on a free position, Clement took a long pass behind the defense and raced in and finished to cut the deficit to one with 6:04 remaining.
It took just 41 seconds for the hosts to tie the score, as Clement fed Spencer.
After Perfetti twice robbed Healy and Bennert shot wide, Greely got the last shot of the half and Sullivan made it count, beating Foley with 19.4 seconds to go to put the Rangers ahead the half, 5-4.
In the first 25 minutes, Greely won eight of 10 draws and had a 13-9 advantage in shots.
The second half would be just as exciting.
Capers junior Brooke Harvey won the draw to start the half and 57 seconds in, Chloe Chapin finished a free position to tie the score for the third time, 5-5.
After Foley prevented the Rangers from taking the lead by denying Clement, Clement passed to Sullivan, who made a nice catch before shooting the ball into the goal to make it 6-5 Greely with 19:19 to go in regulation.
Clement added an unassisted goal with 17:03 to play, but with 15:40 left, Healy answered, unassisted, and the score was 7-6 Rangers.
Cape Elizabeth then held the ball for over four minutes where it had ample opportunities to tie the score, but Chloe Chapin sent a free position shot high, Perfetti robbed Healy, Harvey shot wide after making a nice move, Karli Chapin missed wide and Healy was denied by Perfetti, keeping Greely on top.
After Rangers sophomore Ellie Holt hit the crossbar, the Rangers got an insurance goal, as Van Curan scored unassisted to make it 8-6 with 9 minutes left.
After the goal, Koelker replaced Perfetti with senior Sophie Kaplan, who immediately found herself under fire.
With 7:45 to go, Chloe Chapin scored on a free position.
Then, after Harvey won the ensuing draw, Karli Chapin passed to Graham, who tied the game, 8-8, with 7:36 left.
Perfetti went back into the game and would play a huge role before all was said and done.
Greely retook the lead, 9-8, when Clement set up Bennert with 5:36 on the clock and when Spencer added an unassisted goal to make it a two-goal game with 3:39 remaining, Cape Elizabeth was on the ropes.
The Capers would extricate themselves and answer back.
Just 24 seconds later, Gillian scored unassisted to cut the deficit to one.
Cape Elizabeth got the ball back on the draw, then turned it over, but Greely gave it right back and after a timeout, the Capers tied the game for the fifth and final time, 10-10, when Healy scored unassisted with 1:16 left in regulation.
Goldburg won the ensuing draw, but turned the ball over.
Cape Elizabeth called timeout with 51.4 seconds on the clock, looking to end it, but Healy was called for a charge with 21.1 seconds showing and after the teams traded turnovers, the final horn sounded, sending the contest to overtime.
In Maine high school girls’ lacrosse, teams play three-minute, “sudden victory” OT sessions until a winner is determined.
It would take some time.
After a five-minute rest period, the teams returned to the field and the Capers looked to end matters.
Harvey won the opening draw in overtime, but Cape Elizabeth threw the ball away.
The Rangers gave it right back and the Capers were able to set up in the offensive zone.
With 1:48 left in the three-minute OT, Healy got a look, but Perfetti made the save.
After the teams traded turnovers, Healy had another chance and again, Perfetti made the stop with 1:09 on the clock.
Neither team managed a shot the rest of the way and the game went to a second overtime.
Harvey won the draw again and 29 seconds into the session, Healy shot again and again, Perfetti was up to the challenge, making the save.
After the teams traded turnovers, Cape Elizabeth got one final chance, but Chloe Chapin met the same fate as Healy and Perfetti extended the game.
“It was my team defense,” said Perfetti, whose defense includes her older sister, junior Maddy Perfetti. “I couldn’t have done it without them. They get their sticks out in front, so there’s a contested shot every time. I enjoy the pressure. We talk as a defense about where certain players shoot. That helped a lot. It’s very stressful, but it’s really great. The older kids are so nice to me.”
Greely then finally kept possession and brought a sudden end to the festivities.
Out of a timeout, the Rangers appeared trapped in their zone until a pass came to Sullivan, who took off downfield as if shot out of a cannon.
With just one defender back, Sullivan approached the goal and at the last possible second, she dished the ball to Clement and Clement faked a shot before firing the ball past Foley and into the net.
“I wouldn’t really consider myself the hero,” Clement said. “Courtney is really good at those no-look passes, so I kind of had a feeling it was coming. It was one of her favorite moves. I was ready. If she shot, she would have made it too. Erin is really, really good, so you have to fake her.”
“We know ‘Court’ has the wheels and the stick and that good things happen when the ball’s with her,” Koelker said. “She was the best option to make things happen. Brooke knows Erin well and knows she’s a great goalie. She showed great patience on that shot.”
“Courtney just wanted it,” Cape Elizabeth coach Alex Spark said. “She has great speed. She got the ball and saw the opening and the disadvantage in numbers and went off. It was a great shot. Greely played it perfectly.”
At 5:30 p.m., Greely rushed the field and celebrated its exhilarating 11-10 triumph.
“It feels really good, “said Clement. “I’m just happy we won for the seniors. I love them.”
Clement’s goal was her third, which tied Sullivan for team-high honors. Spencer and Van Curan each scored twice and Bennert added one goal.
Clement also had three assists, while Sullivan had the biggest one of all.
Goldburg and Sullivan helped Greely win the battle of draws, 13-11.
Sullivan had a team-high seven ground balls. Van Curan collected four.
Perfetti made nine critical saves.
“(Hannah’s) incredible,” Clement said. “I’m amazed more and more every game. It means so much for us to have her. We couldn’t be luckier.”
“Hannah plays beyond her years,” Koelker said. “I’m so impressed with her. She plays with such composure and intensity, yet she took risks today beyond her experience. Our defense stepped up too and came up big going for the ball in overtime.”
The Rangers overcame 21 turnovers.
Cape Elizabeth was led by Healy, who had three goals. Chloe Chapin, Karli Chapin and Graham all scored twice, while Gillian also had a goal.
Karli Chapin had the Capers’ lone assist.
Foley made six saves.
Karli Chapin had a game-high nine ground balls and Gillian collected six.
Cape Elizabeth had a 41-29 edge in ground balls, a 24-21 shots advantage (19-17 on cage) and turned the ball over 20 times.
“It was a fun game, a great game, really fun to watch,” Spark said. “We got opportunities we wanted, but (Hannah) made great saves. It was just a good, hard fight. It could have gone either way. We’re definitely seasoned for overtime, which is great. We never give up. This game, if nothing else, gave us practice in getting the ball back.”
Title dreams
Cape Elizabeth will be the No. 2 seed for the Class B playoffs, its highest ranking in five years and will host a quarterfinal round playoff game next Saturday, likely against the winner of a preliminary round contest between York (6-6) and Morse (5-7).
The Capers beat the visiting Wildcats in overtime in the opener April 25. They didn’t face the Shipbuilders. Cape Elizabeth is 1-0 all-time against York in the playoffs (a 16-9 victory in the 2008 Western B semifinals) and has never met Morse in the postseason.
“We’ve had some good wins, but regular season is done,” Spark said. “Our focus shifts to a new season. I know the girls want to make a run. We’re capable and talented. It’ll be anybody’s game on any given day. All the teams in the conference have beaten the other. That makes for good games. York would be a great test. Any team that plays well is tough to beat. We just have to show up and play our best.”
Greely projects to be the No. 3 seed in Class B South and will also host a quarterfinal, likely against No. 6 Waynflete (6-6), a team that has long been a playoff nightmare for the Rangers (the Flyers have won seven of eight previous meetings, including a 12-11 victory in the 2011 Western B semifinals, the most recent).
Greely has beaten Waynflete in each of the past two regular seasons, however, including a 7-5 home win May 2.
“We’re just looking to improve going into playoffs,” Perfetti said. “We’re ready.”
“It’s important to get as many home games as we can,” Clement said. “We have good momentum going. We have to keep up the intensity.”
“It’s going to be exciting in the playoffs,” Koelker said. “There are so many good teams. We’ll have to take one game at a time. We talk about how hard work in practice translates to games and this year, we have and it’s made the difference.
“(Playing Waynflete is no prize), but that will be nice to have a home game. We’re just glad to be in.”
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.
Cape Elizabeth sophomore Karli Chapin, with Greely senior Nettie Cunningham and sophomore Ellie Holt in pursuit, chases after a loose ball.
Greely senior Greta Van Curan takes a shot.
Cape Elizabeth senior Emily Healy shoots and scores.
Greely senior Courtney Sullivan goes one-on-one with Cape Elizabeth junior goalie Erin Foley.
Greely senior Jen Spencer takes a shot as Cape Elizabeth sophomore Karli Chapin closes in.
Greely freshman Sam Goldburg grabs the ball in front of Cape Elizabeth senior Chloe Chapin and Rangers senior Courtney Sullivan.
Cape Elizabeth senior Susie Graham battles Greely sophomore Ellie Holt (8) and junior Madi Scott for the ball.
Greely rushes the field in celebration after the winning goal.
Michael Hoffer photo.
Recent Cape Elizabeth-Greely results
2017
Cape Elizabeth 13 @ Greely 10
2016
@ Greely 17 Cape Elizabth 6
Greely 8 @ Cape Elizabeth 7
2015
@ Cape Elizabeth 6 Greely 5 (3 OT)
2014
Cape Elizabeth 9 @ Greely 6
2013
@ Cape Elizabeth 14 Greely 9
Western B semifinals
@ Cape Elizabeth 17 Greely 10
2012
@ Cape Elizabeth 19 Greely 8
@ Cape Elizabeth 8 Greely 7
Western B semifinals
@ Cape Elizabeth 18 Greely 8
2011
@ Cape Elizabeth 9 Greely 7
2010
@ Cape Elizabeth 14 Greely 4
2009
@ Cape Elizabeth 13 Greely 9
2008
@ Greely 12 Cape Elizabeth 9
@ Cape Elizabeth 12 Greely 11
2007
@ Greely 8 Cape Elizabeth 7
Greely 15 @ Cape Elizabeth 11
2006
@ Cape Elizabeth 10 Greely 9
@ Greely 7 Cape Elizabeth 3
2005
Greely 6 @ Cape Elizabeth 2
2004
Greely 13 @ Cape Elizabeth 12
2003
Cape Elizabeth 15 @ Greely 12
2002
Cape Elizabeth 11 @ Greely 10
Divisional Quarterfinals
Greely 9 @ Cape Elizabeth 6
Send questions/comments to the editors.
