WALES – The Wiscasset High School girls soccer team came into Thursday’s Mountain Valley Conference game against Oak Hill with a lot of players under the weather. Nearly the entire Wolverine squad, including head coach Duane Goud, coughed their way through 80 minutes of soccer in a 3-0 loss to the Raiders.
Wiscasset (1-11) goaltender Lily Souza made 20 saves, and her defense of Gwen Webber, Kayla Cossette, Sydnie Thayer and Alice Yokabakas did everything possible to slow down the Raiders.
But, Oak Hill (10-2) was too strong, receiving a first-half goal from Gabby Chessie and a pair of second-half tallies to keep rolling.
Wiscasset defender Sydnie Thayer (9) clears the ball past the attempt of Oak Hills’ Julia Noel in MVC action in Wales. (Bob Conn / The Times Record)
“I am very proud of the way they played today,” Goud said. “They stepped up to the challenge. We stayed with them and didn’t give them a lot of opportunities.”
Oak Hill entered the game fighting sickness as well, along with a few key injuries.
“I know they were sick, and we have some issues of our own in that department, some girls unavailable today. We ended up on the right side of it,” said Oak Hill coach Jeremy Young, whose Raiders return to action Wednesday at home against Carrabec.
Oak Hill came out strong, pressuring the Wiscasset side of the field throughout the first half. Souza did her share in keeping her sick squad in it. She made 11 saves on 12 shots, including a diving stop of a low, bouncing shot by Audrey Dillman.
“Their goalie is great, she’s active back there and gets the balls,” said Young. “We had a lot of shots in the first half that were too direct.”
“Lily played a great game and had her fair share of touches,” added Goud, who complimented Oak Hill. “They are good. They pass the ball well and know how to attack. We were a little bit flat at times, but as sick as we are, we played pretty good.”
Looking at the prospect of a scoreless first 40 minutes, Oak Hill finally found the net as Chessie finished a pass from Rachel Duguay with 3:18 remaining until intermission.
At the half, Young preached staying the course.
“There were not many chances for them. It was for us not to let down and make sure we play around the goalie and not to her,” the Oak Hill coach said.
“It was important for us to get the lead,” said Oak Hill junior Julia Noel. “We knew that we could do it, and we knew that we could get more.”
Oak Hill began the second half with even more pressure around the Wiscasset net. After Souza stopped Abriana Deslauriers
Wiscasset midfielder Riley Trask (17) has the ball deflect off her body with Oak Hill forward Audrey Bauer close by. The visiting Wolverines fell, 3-0. (Bob Conn / The Times Record)
Wiscasset’s Brianna Orr (7) battles with Oak Hill’s Gabby Chessie in the first half of a girls MVC soccer game at Wales on Thursday. The host Raiders downed the Wolverines, 3-0. (Bob Conn / The Times Record)
twice from point-blank range, Audrey Bauer chipped a shot past the charging Wolverines keeper for a 2-0 lead with 28:25 left. Dillman picked up an assist.
At 17:02, Noel received a pass from Madison Drew and finished for a three-goal Raider advantage.
“We knew it was going to be a hard game, with an entire sick team,” said Souza, as Oak Hill held a 23-3 shot advantage. “We couldn’t let down in the second half.”
For the next few days, Goud plans on resting his team.
We will have a few days off and hopefully come back feeling better,” Goud said, whose squad hosts Telstar on Wednesday.
As the Class B South playoffs near, Young continues to look for consistency from his Raiders.
“We have moments where we are not as good as we can be. If we play consistently, it will be interesting in the playoffs. If we don’t, things may not go the way that we want them to,” Young said.
Oak Hill goaltender Paige Gonya stopped three shots for the shutout.
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