TOPSHAM — The Mt. Blue field hockey team wasn’t about to let history repeat itself when it ventured to Stadium Field on Tuesday night to battle Mt. Ararat in a Class A North quarterfinal.
The No. 6 Cougars had dropped a 2-1 decision to the No. 3 Eagles on Sept. 28.
“We were able to watch some film and have been preparing,” Mt. Blue head coach Julie Lajoie said. “They had some strengths we noticed and wanted to make sure we switched it up a little so we wouldn’t get beaten the same way.”
The advance prep paid off, as Mt. Blue made a Kali Judkins second period goal stand in a 1-0 victory. The Cougars (10-5) will play Messalonskee in a regional semifinal Saturday. The Eagles, who played the bulk of the game without one of their leaders in Phoebe Fitzpatrick, finished 11-3-1.
Judkins scored the game-winner with 8:13 remaining in the first half off an assist from Bree Griffin.
“I just wanted to work hard and do well for my team,” Judkins said. “I got the ball and scored.”
That was all goalie Elsa Perez Albella (10 saves) needed to earn the shutout. Albella is a foreign exchange student from Spain who was making her first career varsity start.
“She was amazing (Tuesday),” Lajoie said. “She is very composed and aggressive. I thought she did a great job with those shots from outside, (just) letting them go. That’s hard just learning a new sport in a different language.”
The goal came several minutes after Mt. Ararat lost senior captain Fitzpatrick took a ball to the face and did not return to the field. Mt. Ararat coach Krista Chase said her team struggled to get into a rhythm once it lost Fitzpatrick.
“That was it right there, that was the moment we lost,” she said. “That took an emotional toll on the team. Phoebe Fitzpatrick is more than a forward; she is a playmaker, she is a game-changer. … Did I think we’d be fine without her, yes, but her teammates love her and there was an emotional toll they had to contend with.”
The Eagles fought early on, attacking Perez Albella and the Cougar defense, but could not push one home.
“She’s from Spain and she’s really good, this is her first time playing,” said Judkins.
Mt. Blue finished with 11 shots on goal, to Mt. Ararat’s 10. The Cougars also held the advantage in corners, 13-4.
“We’ll take this one game at a time and look forward to playing (Messalonskee),” Lajoie added.
For Mt. Ararat, the season comes to an end, and for the seniors, their high school careers.
“It was a great season,” Chase said. “We scored 56 goals, allowed 11, now 12. This is the best team record and stats of any team in my tenure here and that’s in large part because of our seniors. They did a really great job taking a young team and making us have a pretty successful season.”
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