Foxcroft field hockey defeats Old Town for sixth shutout in seven games

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Foxcroft Academy dominated in all phases of the game for the first 40-plus minutes during a Class B North field hockey contest on Sept. 22 vs. Old Town High School.

For the first 43 minutes the Ponies had a 19-0 edge in penalty corners and a lopsided advantage in shots as well — the team would end up leading 41-8 in this statistic. Despite all the advantages play was still 0-0 as Coyote senior Corinne Saucier matched Foxcroft freshman Kiara Lovejoy’s scoreless effort in goal despite having a far busier afternoon.

During the second half Foxcroft had a string of four consecutive penalty corners and after the fourth such play from the left by Pony junior Kylie Dow the ball was loose in front of the Old Town goal. Freshman Sheryl Chase was able to pass to Dow and Dow directed the ball inside the right post to end the stalemate at the 17:24-mark.

A few minutes later Old Town would have its first penalty corner opportunities after 19 for the home team, but Old Town’s only three corners of the game were each safely cleared away to keep the team from tying the contest with the player advantage.

The final two penalty corners for Foxcroft did not lead to any goals as the team was still up by a single goal.

Late in the second half sophomore Cassidy Marsh got the ball as she ran down the middle of the field on a breakaway. While Marsh was running time off the clock, she also went toward the Old Town goal as Saucier decided to come out and play the ball. Marsh was able to get the it past the Coyote keeper and for a wide open shot she made to put Foxcroft up 2-0 with 33 seconds left. Old Town was unable to get any scoring opportunities going once play resumed from midfield.

The team’s third consecutive victory improved the Ponies to 6-1 near the midway point of the season, and the team earned a 2017 sweep of Old Town (the Coyotes fell to 5-3 on Friday) following a 1-0 win on the road by Foxcroft in the opener on Sept. 1.

Lovejoy stopped four of eight shots — vs. 29 saves on 41 shots for her counterpart — as Foxcroft recorded its sixth shutout in seven games, yielding just two goals over this timespan.

Foxcroft is scheduled to play next at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 28 when the team hosts Lawrence High School of Fairfield (3-6 as of presstime). The meeting will be the first between the two programs since last season when Lawrence won 2-1 in the second overtime of a Class B North semifinal in Dover-Foxcroft.

FIELD HOCKEY
Foxcroft 2,
Old Town 0
OT 0 0 | 0
FA 0 2 | 2
Second half: FA —
Dow (Chase);
FA — Marsh
Penalty corners: FA — 21;
OT — 3
Saves: FA — Lovejoy 4;
OT — Saucier 29.
Records: FA 6-1;
OT 5-3.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
ACTIVATE THE SCOREBOARD — After 43 minutes of scoreless play, Foxcroft Academy junior Kylie Dow scored a goal during her team’s Sept. 22 game vs. Old Town High School. Dow’s goal would turn out to the game-winner as the Ponies won 2-0 to improve to 6-1 on the season, with each victory coming via shutout.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
FENDING OFF A PACK OF COYOTES — Foxcroft freshman Maranda Poulin looks to get through the Old Town defense on Sept. 22. With the 2-0 victory the Ponies earned a season sweep of Old Town, winning 1-0 on the road to open 2017.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
VERY LATE INSURANCE GOAL — Freshman Cassidy Marsh would provide Foxcroft with an insurance goal in the last minute of the team’s 2-0 victory over Old Town on Friday.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
LOOSE BALL — Sophomore Natalie Robinson gets a hold of a ball along the sideline, as her freshman teammate Ava Rayfield (10) looks on.