BIDDEFORD — Biddeford dominated Thursday night’s field hockey game against Kennebunk, but needed a late goal to escape with a 1-0 win.
Kennebunk goalie Haley Moody continually thwarted the Tigers, who eventually broke through with just over four minutes left in regulation.
Biddeford sophomore Abby Allen scored with a hard shot from the side of the goal for the winner.
“It’s good to get tested,” said Biddeford Coach Caitlin Albert. “It’s good to feel that pressure and see what we need to do and then respond to that because if we can’t respond to that then they’re going to get stuck in one of these situations down the road. We will use it as a learning tool.”
Allen, who had fired five previous shots at Moody, was happy to finally get one past her.
“It was just really a big relief,” said Allen.
Kennebunk Coach Kayla Billings was extremely proud of Moody, who finished with 23 saves.
“Our goalie, Haley Moody, is just phenomenal. Talk about having a shining star moment for sure,” said Billings, whose team dropped to 2-2. “Haley has been on this game all week … getting ready for big shots and big saves, so she came up big for us.”
“She played amazing. We had the same problem last year … it felt like deja vu,” Albert said of Moody. “She’s fierce and her defense responds well to her. It’s hard getting past a goalie that’s going to come out of the circle. She’s a phenomenal goalie.”
The Tigers led 24-3 in shots on goal and 11-2 in penalty corners.
Billings praised her entire team for their defensive work against the Tigers.
“I’m incredibly proud of our girls defensively. I think this is the game where we really shined when it came to marking and being able to pressure the ball in our defensive end,” Billings said.
It was the second straight big win for the Tigers, who earned their first win over Cheverus in 11 years on Wednesday night.
“The girls are tired. It hadn’t even been a full 24 hours of recovery and a lot of them played the whole game and gave 100 percent,” said Albert. “To ask them to give 100 percent again, obviously we have to and I think they tried their best, but they were obviously winded.”
With a 5-0 record and considered a Class A South favorite, the Tigers are in a very different situation than in past years.
“It’s exciting and I’m excited for the girls, but at the same time it’s a lot of pressure,” said Albert of being looked at as a state title contender. “I think they can deal with it, but they’re high schoolers. Every team that we’ve played has stepped up and has challenged us. I think it’s just putting that target on our back.”
Allen believes the Tigers can live up to the hype.
“It’s a lot of pressure, but as long as we stay together as a team we should be good,” Allen said.
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