CAPE ELIZABETH—Cape Elizabeth’s girls’ soccer team has long proved to be the gold standard in Class B.
Saturday afternoon at Hannaford Field, the Capers got to measure themselves against the reigning Class A North champions and they passed the test with flying colors.
And continued their midseason surge.
Hosting always-tough Brunswick, Cape Elizabeth went on top to stay in the 13th minute, when senior standout Evelyn Agrodnia set up sophomore sensation Noelle Mallory for a goal.
With 18:53 left in the first half, Agrodnia set up sophomore Hailey Gorman for a gorgeous long goal to double the lead.
The Dragons got back in the game with 10 minutes to go before the break, when sophomore Molly Tefft finished a free kick from junior Alexis Morin, but with 8:15 remaining, Mallory scored a second goal to push the lead back to two.
Despite good chances both ways, neither team scored in the second half and the Capers went on to a 3-1 victory.
Cape Elizabeth won its fifth game in a row, improved to 9-1 and in the process, dropped Brunswick to 7-3.
“It’s really exciting,” Agrodnia said. “We came in knowing it would be a good game. We knew we had to play well and stay calm the whole time. I’m really proud of us.”
A rarity
Cape Elizabeth and Brunswick have long been girls’ soccer powerhouses, but their paths almost never cross.
The Dragons beat the Capers, 9-0, back in the 1984 Western A Final and in the teams’ most recent encounter, the 1996 Class A state final, Cape Elizabeth prevailed in a four-overtime thriller, 1-0.
This season, both squads entertain legitimate title aspirations.
Brunswick started hot by blanking host Messalonskee (2-0) and Lewiston (5-0), but the Dragons then lost at home to reigning Class B champion Yarmouth (2-0) and after downing visiting Hampden Academy (4-1), they fell at Camden Hills (1-0). Brunswick then defeated visiting Mt. Blue (4-1), Skowhegan (9-1) and Mt. Ararat (5-2) and host Brewer (5-0) in succession.
Cape Elizabeth, meanwhile, under new coach Branden Noltkamper, started with wins at York (4-1), at home over Lake Region (4-0), at Greely (4-1) and at home over Freeport (2-1) before falling at Yarmouth (1-0). The Capers then bounced back to defeat host Fryeburg Academy (8-0), visiting York (4-1), host Gray-New Gloucester (4-1) and host Wells (6-0).
Saturday, on a comfortable afternoon (62 degrees at the start), Cape Elizabeth came out and made a statement.
Cape Elizabeth junior captain CC Duryee plays the ball as Brunswick sophomore Eva Kousky gives chase during the Capers’ 3-1 victory Saturday. Photos courtesy Lisa Mims.
From the get-go, both teams got chances, as just 21 seconds in, Tefft threatened to put Brunswick on top after taking a nice back heel pass from sophomore Eva Kousky, but she shot high.
Sophomore Hazel Bachman and Tefft then had shocks blocked after a Cape Elizabeth turnover.
Mallory missed just wide on the Capers’ first chance, then junior Heather Campbell had a shot saved by Dragons freshman goalkeeper Juliana Morin.
With 27:59 to go in the first half, Cape Elizabeth struck first, as junior Isabella Reeves served the ball in, Agrodnia headed it to Mallory and Mallory beat a defender before sending a one-timer past Morin to the goalie’s right for a 1-0 lead.
“Our offense has worked in practice on hitting the target and breaking the lines and we did that well today,” Mallory said.
After junior CC Duryee hit the crossbar off a corner kick and Morin twice denied Duryee, the Capers went on top, 2-0, with 18:53 remaining before halftime, as Agrodnia set up Gorman on the right side on the run and Gorman fired a perfect strike from about 30 yards out, over Morin and in.
“I’m proud of (Hailey) for that shot,” Agrodnia said.
“Ev does the dirty work and she does everything box to box every game,” said Noltkamper. “We’re lucky to have her.”
After Morin kept her team alive by denying Mallory and collecting a corner kick off the foot of Agrodnia, Brunswick got some life with 10:16 on the clock.
Alexis Morin took a free kick from 35 yards out, served it toward the far post and Tefft ran on to it and fired it past Capers senior goalkeeper Ellis Piper to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Brunswick junior Alexis Morin lines up a free kick.
Which results in the Dragons’ lone goal of the game.
But a mere two minutes later, Cape Elizabeth retook the two-goal lead, as Agrodnia got the ball to Duryee and Duryee set up Mallory, who got behind the defense and settled the ball before firing it into the net with her left foot.
“I was just trying to get a good shot off on that one,” Mallory said.
“I’ve run out of adjectives to describe Noelle Mallory,” said Noltkamper. “She’s been fantastic for us this season. She gets better every single day. I think we still haven’t seen the best of her.”
The Capers nearly scored again late in the half, but Duryee was denied by Juliana Morin, then junior Elena Rosenberg’s shot off a corner was saved and Mallory was robbed on the rebound as well.
The Dragons hoped to answer when the second half began, but couldn’t get back in the game.
Just over a minute in, Kousky nearly scored, but she hit the far post instead.
After Juliana Morin denied Duryee, Alexis Morin’s cross resulted in a save by Piper, but the rebound sat free before junior Campbell DeGeorge cleared the ball.
With 30 minutes left, Cape Elizabeth sophomore back Kate Hetrick broke up a rush by Tefft in the box.
Two minutes later, Piper had to dive to deny a one-timer off the foot of junior Elysia Palmer.
After Duryee hit the post for the Capers, at the other end, Cape Elizabeth junior Libby Hooper got in front of an Alexis Morin shot off a corner.
Morin then made two nice moves to get free, but her shot was saved by Piper.
After Brunswick failed to score on three corner kick opportunities, Morin had a shot blocked in the box by sophomore back Maisie Rayback.
Down the stretch, the Capers nearly got a fourth goal, but Agrodnia had a long free kick turned aside, then off a corner, Dragons sophomore Solveig Ledwick made a defensive save.
Cape Elizabeth was able to run out the clock from there and celebrate its 3-1 victory.
“We capitalized well on offense and we had good defense,” Mallory said.
“Our play stayed the same and that’s all that matters for us,” Agrodnia said. “I don’t know if it’s a thing to have too much confidence in my back line and goalie, but I trust them entirely. I’m so proud of how hard they worked. It’s a new back line, but they play like they’ve been together forever.”
“All the credit to the kids,” Noltkamper added. “They were fantastic every single day this week. We prepared really well. I’m so proud of them. Brunswick’s Class A runners-up and we knew that coming in. I’m a Bath guy, so the rivalry runs deep for me. I’m happy, but more so for the players. We’ve really turned a corner since the Yarmouth game. We’re playing on the front foot a little bit more. We have great leadership with our captains and seniors. We’ve trained well.”
The Capers put 17 shots on frame to the Dragons’ eight, got seven saves from Piper and took eight corner kicks to Brunswick’s three.
The Dragons got 14 saves from Juliana Morin.
Back in class
Brunswick is back in action Tuesday at home versus Edward Little. The Dragons then go to Oxford Hills, host Bangor and close the regular season at Mt. Ararat.
Cape Elizabeth stays home to battle Greely Thursday. After a home tilt versus Poland, the Capers play at Freeport, then close at home versus Yarmouth.
“I think we just need to prepare,” Mallory said. “You can’t always control things that come, but we just have to perform the same.”
“I really want to win, especially after last year,” Agrodnia said. “We’re out there to win it.”
“We’ve preached from the preseason that we don’t want to peak in September, that we want to peak for playoffs and I think we haven’t gotten to that peak yet,” Noltkamper added. “We’re hitting our stride. We’re very confident. We’ve got Yarmouth last game of the season and we’ll see where things fall. We want to be number one, but no matter where we place, we’ll get after anybody we play.”
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. For game updates and links to game stories, follow him on Threads: @foresports2023
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