YARMOUTH — With just 10 players available for most games, the North Yarmouth Academy field hockey team often gives up a one-player advantage to opponents.

That’s about the only thing the Panthers concede.

Kate Kelley tipped in the rebound of Ellie Fitzgerald’s penalty stroke after 17 minutes Wednesday to lift Falmouth to a hard-earned 1-0 victory.

“I’m really very impressed with their team,” Falmouth Coach Robin Haley said. “They were unfazed by anything we did. They applied a lot of pressure and that was a psychological edge for them. When you have numbers you think you can overpower them, and that certainly wasn’t the case today.”

NYA has 12 players on its roster, but two girls are involved in other sports and only help out when they can.

At the time, Kelley’s goal looked like the first of many for the fast, skilled Yachtsmen (6-2). Falmouth carried play most of the game, racking up a 17-7 edge in shots and a 7-2 advantage in shots on goal.

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Another goal? The Panthers were having none of it.

Crafty stickhandling by Charlotte Eisenberg, Kiersten Marr and Linnea Hull set up NYA’s counterattack, which slashed its way into Falmouth’s circle with regularity. But the Yachtsmen’s back line, led by Devon Sarazin and Emily Alexander, snuffed threats before they could reach keeper Caroline Dyhrberg (two saves).

“There’s not much more you can ask of them,” NYA Coach Tracy Quimby said. “We had our opportunities. I’d love to have that fourth forward. Actually we did at points and we played down in the midfield. You do what you can.”

“We don’t use numbers as an excuse,” NYA midfielder Alex Barnes said. “We know we have the skill and will to win. We’re really proud of how we’re playing and we want to keep that going.”

The Panthers (6-2) certainly seem capable of doing so. They continued to hold their own late in the second half despite playing with nine players for a span. With four minutes left, the Panthers’ pressure forced three penalty corners but they couldn’t convert. And in the final minute, they were still pushing for a goal.

“Their defense did a great job on us,” Barnes said. “We really wanted those corners but they did a great job and it just didn’t go our way this time.”

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Fitzgerald set up Falmouth’s goal when her run from midfield drew a penalty corner. Meghan Darcy put the ball in play, finding Fitzgerald at the top of the circle. She fired in a hard, low shot. NYA keeper Elizabeth Coughlin (six saves) got a foot on the ball but Kelley tipped in the rebound.

“It was really all Ellie,” Kelley said. “She had a great hit and I was just there to touch it in.”

Fitzgerald had a hand in several other Falmouth bids, including one that looked like a sure goal midway through the second half. Keunjoo Kim slipped a nice through ball to Fitzgerald, who took it down the right sideline. At the end line she sent a hard cross along the goal crease. Ruth Smith just missed connecting on the back post.

“Even when they scored we didn’t get down on ourselves,” Barnes said. “That was a key for us, to just keep playing through it.”

And a familiar key at that.


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