SOUTH BERWICK — Stout defense and timely scoring carried Thornton Academy to a 2-0 win over Marshwood in a Class A South field hockey match Wednesday.

With an aggressive and effective defense in front of her, Jenica Botting made six saves to record a shutout for the Trojans.

“The defense was definitely a big factor. They helped out a lot with marking up on the (Marshwood players) they needed to mark, who were dangerous,” said Botting.

“(Botting) had a pivotal save early in the game – it changed the tone, I thought,” said Thornton Academy Coach Lori Smith.

The conditions were tough on both teams, with temperatures in the 80s and high humidity. Both teams agreed on a water break midway through the second half.

“We don’t have much of a bench, so my girls were pretty tired, I think, toward the end,” said Marshwood Coach Kristin Dupont.

Thornton (2-0) took a 1-0 lead just under 15 minutes into the game when Jaigan Boudreau tapped in her first varsity goal while navigating traffic in front of the net.

“It was a really scrappy goal,” said Thornton senior Cat Henaire.

Marshwood’s Morgan Hasty controls the ball under pressure from Olivia Lambert of Thornton Academy, which improved to 2-0 with its second consecutive shutout.

Aliyah Bureau was credited with an assist.

The Trojans controlled the first half, dominating possession and keeping play in their offensive zone. Thornton had a 6-1 edge in penalty corners through the first 30 minutes. Despite all the opportunities, though, the Trojans held just a 1-0 advantage at halftime.

“I was disappointed (by scoring only one first-half goal), but at the same time, we were getting a lot of opportunities,” said Henaire.

The Trojans got only one more corner in the second half, but they allowed a total of just three corners for Marshwood.

“Having only three defensive corners says a lot,” said Smith.

Marshwood (1-1) played with more intensity and earned more scoring chances in the second half, but the Hawks’ effort did not produce any goals.

“Thornton Academy is a great team, they’re coached well,” said Dupont. “They move the ball so well laterally across the field, and we were having a little trouble grasping that and catching up.”

Thornton added to its lead with 12:58 remaining on an unassisted goal by Lily Stark in front of the net.

“When we got that second goal, it felt like we could change to a more defensive game,” said Henaire.

Indeed, the Trojans effectively prevented Marshwood from mounting a serious scoring threat the rest of the way.

“I was proud of our effort the entire game,” said Smith. “I felt like we played the entire time and did not let up. It was a really great game for being early in the season and on grass. I was really proud of them.”

Marshwood goalie Sarah Arenberg played well in the loss, making seven saves.

“I saw some really great things that we can work on, some great things that we can work off of, but some things we definitely need to work on,” said Dupont.

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