The Freeport High School girls soccer team is looking to join the ranks of the elite.
Cape Elizabeth is already there and nearly halfway through the 
regular season, the Capers have lived up to preseason billing as the favorite in Class B South.
The Falcons hung with Cape Elizabeth for 40 minutes at Hannaford Field on Monday, but you can only hold the Capers off for so long. Cape Elizabeth scored three times in the second half to win for the sixth straight time to start the season, 3-0, in Western Maine Conference action.
“We tightened up a few things at halftime,” said Graham Forsyth, the Capers’ first-year coach. “We’ve set a standard in preseason and the first five games of our season and we didn’t get anywhere near there in the first half, but I couldn’t be any more proud of the girls in the second half.”
The Falcons arrived 40 minutes late after their bus was involved in a minor accident on the Casco Bay Bridge, but they weren’t fazed and even generated some good chances in the first half.
Cape Elizabeth freshman goalkeeper Elise Branch stopped promising shots from Catriona Gould and Rachel Wall.
The Capers had chances as well, but failed to solve the Freeport defense or goalkeeper Leah Rusiecki.
Cape Elizabeth broke through with 35:52 to play. On a corner kick, a Falcon defender was called for a hand ball, giving the Capers a penalty kick. Prezli Piscopo took the penalty kick and beat Rusiecki just inside the near post to give the Capers a 1-0 lead.
“I normally don’t like to take PKs, but I just did it,” Piscopo said. “I try and fake the goalie out and make them think I’m going somewhere else, then shoot.”
Cape Elizabeth got some breathing room with 21:50 on the clock. Piscopo served the ball to Karli Chapin, who made a nice first touch before firing a low blast into the net for a 2-0 lead.
“My initial thought was to go straight to goal, but I saw two defenders coming to me and saw Karli was wide open,” Piscopo said. “I lofted it to her and she finished.”
Added Forsyth: “We played quick to feet on that goal. It was a great pass to Karli and her first touch was excellent and it was a great finish as well. A great team goal.”
The Capers put it away on another corner kick with 13:12 left. Tori McGrath set up Laura Ryer to give the Capers the 3-0 lead.
“We don’t care who we play, we just approach it as if it’s the first game of the season,” said Forsyth.
“That’s the mentality the girls have. I couldn’t be more proud of their effort so far.”
Cape Elizabeth outshot Freeport 13-3, and had a 5-1 advantage on corner kicks. Branch made three saves. The Falcons received 10 saves from Rusiecki, but fell to 2-2-2.
“I thought we had a chance and the first half was pretty even, but they (got that PK) and turned it on a little bit and I think we slowed down,” said Freeport first-year coach David Intraversato. “It’s been going great. When I first saw the schedule, I thought we’d be 2-4, but we’re 2-2-2 and we have good Heal points. We’ll see (Cape) again at our place.”
Freeport hosts Wells on Thursday at 6 p.m.
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