Foxcroft Academy defeats Erskine Academy with late goal
DOVER-FOXCROFT — Heading into an interclass field hockey game on the turf at the Jim Robinson Field House between Class C North Foxcroft Academy and Class B North member Erskine Academy of South China during the early afternoon of Saturday, Oct. 16 the two teams had contrasting records with the Ponies at 10-1-1 heading into the team’s second-to–last contest of the regular season and the visiting Eagles of the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference coming in at 4-8.
Despite the difference in wins and losses, the two teams were scoreless heading into the fourth quarter when the Ponies would have the lone goal of the match and then held off Erskine’s late attempts to tie play.
LONE GOAL SCORER — Foxcroft Academy freshman Jenna Hartford scored the only goal in an Oct. 16 game vs. Erskine Academy early in the fourth quarter. With the 1-0 victory the Ponies improved to 11-1-1, with one contest remaining in the regular season.
Foxcroft junior keeper Emma Bither made three of her game-high seven saves over the three first quarters while across the field Erskine’s Andrea Cowing stopped six shots over this 45:00 to keep play 0-0.
Early in the fourth quarter Hilary Howard sent a long pass to freshman Jenna Hartford as Hartford broke away down the right side of the field. Running at full speed, Howard got a shot off that rolled inside the left post to break the scoreless stalemate with 12:34 to go.
The Eagles had only one penalty corner all game prior to the Pony goal, but the Erskine would have four more when trailing 1-0. Foxcroft had an 8-5 corner advantage on the afternoon.
QUICK ON THEIR FEET — Pony senior Hilary Howard brings the ball into the Erskine Academy end of the field Oct. 16 at the Jim Robinson Field House as freshman Jadenne Frigon (11) and sophomore Jaiyde True (14) trail.
Each time the Foxcroft defense kept the ball out of the goal and Bither made four — more than half — of her saves in the fourth quarter. The shutout was the sixth in 13 games for the team.
Heading into the regular season finale Foxcroft (11-1-1 after winning the team’s second game in a row on Oct. 16 to end an 0-1-1 blip) stood in second place in the Class C North Heal Point standings with the playoffs set to start next week.
Erskine (4-9) had its 3-game winning streak snapped, after having dropped eight consecutive games.
CLEAR THE BALL — Sophomore Emma McGary gets ready to send the ball down the turf during the second half vs. Erskine Academy.
FIELD HOCKEY
Foxcroft 1, Erskine 0
ERS 0 0 0 0 – 0
FOX 0 0 0 1 – 1
Fourth: F – Hartford (Howard)
Penalty corners: E – 5, F – 8
Saves: E – Cowing 6, F – Bither 7
Records: E – 4-9, F – 11-1-1