Tigers earn shutout victory at PCHS
By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer
GUILFORD — A pair of goals in each half and a shutout effort from the defense helped Dexter Regional High School earn a 4-0 victory at Piscataquis Community High School in a Sept. 28 Class C North field hockey game.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
GOING FOR THE GOAL — Dexter senior Grace Belanger seeks a shot opportunity during the opening half of a Sept. 28 game at PCHS in Guilford as Pirate sophomore Lilli McCormick and senior keeper Sydney Marden eye the ball and Tiger senior Morgann Wyman is positioned for a possible pass. Dexter earned a 4-0 victory, which increased the team’s winning streak to seven games.
The Tigers earned a regular season sweep of the neighboring rival Pirates (who fell to 3-8), as Dexter won 8-0 on its home field back on Sept. 9. The team improved to 8-1 with its seventh consecutive victory since falling, 5-3, at Class B North Foxcroft Academy – a streak starting with the win vs. PCHS. The shutout was Dexter’s fifth in the seven-game winning streak.
In the opening minutes of the first half the official ruled that a Pirate player used her foot to prevent a shot by Tiger senior Hannah Farrar from going into the goal and Farrar was then awarded a penalty stroke.
Farrar took advantage of the one-on-one opportunity with Pirate senior keeper Sydney Marden by sending the ball into the lower right corner of the goal to give Dexter a 1-0 advantage at the 25:56-mark.
The Tigers would add to the scoreboard with 6:55 to play in the half. Senior Morgann Wyman was positioned in front of the opposition’s goal as she received a pass from classmate Abby Webber. Wyman then directed the ball into the left side of the goal for a 2-0 advantage.
Webber and her sister junior Kaitlyn Webber would combine for goal No. 3 in the second half. The older of the two siblings made the pass from the right to Kaitlyn Webber in front of the goal, and Webber then snuck her shot inside the left post at the 11:10-mark.
In the game’s closing minutes, Tiger senior Grace Belanger weaved her way through the PCHS defense up the middle of the field. As she approached the goal, Belanger spied junior Hayley Rossman open to the left. Belanger then dished off the ball and Rossman hit it in to become the fourth Dexter player with a goal.
Marden made a game-high 10 saves for PCHS. Her counterpart at the other side of the field, senior Megan Peach stopped four shots. Dexter finished with a 15-1 penalty corner advantage, with 10 of the offensive opportunities coming the first half.
The Sept. 28 contest served as the Senior Game for the nine members of the Class of 2017 on the PCHS field hockey squad. Before play began Elizabeth Bagley, Hannah Bagley, Miriah Chapman, Danika Hill, Morgan Hutchins, Jewel Lamb, Sydney Marden, Cassie Richardson and Taylor Sinclair were honored.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
CORNER PLAY — Pirate senior Taylor Sinclair and senior Grace Belanger of the Tigers both look to get the ball out of the left corner of the field.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
STICKING WITH IT — Senior Jewel Lamb of PCHS and Dexter freshman Rachel Sickles battle for possession during the Sept. 28 field hockey game in Guilford.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD — PCHS sophomore Lilli McCormick tries to get around Dexter senior Morgann Wyman on Sept. 28 while Tiger senior Grace Belanger and senior Jewel Lamb of the Pirates look on.
FIELD HOCKEY
Dexter 4,
PCHS 0
DEX 2 2 | 4
PCHS 0 0 | 0
First: D — Farrar;
D — Wyman
(A. Webber).
Second: D — K. Webber
(A. Webber);
D — Rossman
(Belanger).
Saves: D — Peach 4;
P — Marden 10.
Penalty corners:
D — 15; P —1 .
Records: D 8-1;
P 3-8.