Penquis girls close out the regular season with a win vs. PCHS
MILO — Heading into the team’s 2022 regular season finale vs. Piscataquis Community High School on Saturday, Oct. 15, the Penquis Valley High School girls soccer team had been on an 0-3-4 skid with three ties in the last three matches. The 7-game winless streak began more than three weeks prior with a 2-2 tie at PCHS in Guilford on Sept. 21.
The Patriots earned the team’s first victory since a 2-1 win vs. Woodland Junior/Senior High School of Baileyville on Sept. 20, by defeating the visiting Pirates 3-2. Finishing at 4-5-5, Penquis stood in seventh place in the Class C North Heal Point standings after the victory which would result in a home preliminary contest to start the playoffs later this week.
EYES ON THE BALL — Penquis’ Addison Conklin and Abbey Ricker of PCHS look to get a hold of a bouncing soccer ball during a game in Milo on Oct. 15. The host Patriots earned a 3-2 victory to snap an 0-3-4 streak.
The No. 7 team would host the 10th seed which for the moment is PCHS. The top 11 schools in the region earn berths. The Pirates fell to 6-6-1 with another match to be played, losing for only the second time in the last half dozen games (PCHS is 4-2 in these contests).
On Saturday all five goals came in the second half, with Penquis scoring three in a row after the Pirates got on the scoreboard first. A penalty on the Patriots in the opening minutes of the second 40-minute session resulted in a penalty kick for PCHS.
Kendall Kimball lined up for the shot and she placed the ball into the lower left corner of the Penquis goal for the 1-0 advantage.
TOEING THE LINE – Amara Driscoll keeps the ball in play while being pursued by the Pirates’ Elizabeth Gilbert during a midday game on Saturday, Oct. 15.
Soon after the Patriots tied the game 1-1. Sky Guzzy passed to Jessica Broussard and she flipped the ball into top right of the PCHS goal. Just over four minutes later Abbie Conlogue had an unassisted goal for Penquis to take its first lead of the day at the 28:03 mark.
Penquis had what would turn out to be the game-winning play with under four and half minutes to go. Broussard had the ball to the right of the goal and she dished it off to Addison Conklin. Conklin ran in and tapped the ball in for her team’s third goal of the day. Broussard finished with a goal and an assist.
PCHS would cut its deficit from two to one with 1:30 to go as Molly Sipple scored on a shot from the left. From there the Penquis defense would prevent any more shot attempts as the team held on for the 3-2 victory.
WANTING MORE SPACE — Molly Sipple of PCHS (2) tries to create some space away from Caysie Moore of Penquis. Looking on is Jessica Broussard (12) and Molly Sipple (19).
Brooklyn Decker made five saves for the Patriots as the team faced 11 shots overall. At the opposite end of the field, Bella Buehne stopped a game-high 10 shots with the Pirates facing a total of 24.
Both teams will await their final playoff spots once games among all Class C North squads and opponents have been played.
A year ago both teams were in the preliminary round under an open tournament format. The 2021 14th-seeded PCHS girls lost 5-0 at No. 3 Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield. Twelve months ago the 15th seed Penquis girls lost at No. 2 Fort Kent Community High School 7-0.
KNEE BALL — Patriot Aileen Strout controls the ball away from Kendall Kimball of PCHS, with Penquis’ Rachel Broussard behind the play.
GIRLS SOCCER
Penquis 3, PCHS 2
PCHS 0 2 — 2
PENQ 0 3 — 3
Second: PCHS — Kimball; PENQ — J. Broussard (Guzzy); PENQ — Conlogue; PENQ — Conklin (J. Broussard); PCHS — Sipple
Saves: PCHS — Buehne 11, PENQ — Decker 5
Corner kicks: PCHS — 2, PENQ — 4
Records: PCHS 6-6-1, PENQ 4-5-5
GOAL AND AN ASSIST — Jessica Broussard of Penquis runs toward PCHS’ Braylin Bilodeau. Broussard would score the first Patriot goal and assist on the third of a 3-2 victory on Saturday.