WATERVILLE — The Messalonskee High field hockey team is going to get exactly what it wanted – another shot at Lawrence.

The Bulldogs (13-2) are the only team to beat the Eagles (13-2) this season, but next week they will meet in the Eastern Class A semifinals after both won quarterfinal games Tuesday.

“We need some redemption. We want it really, really bad,” Messalonskee senior Ally Leighton said. “Lawrence is a great team, so we need to just come in with an extreme amount of intensity and get ready to play a great game.”

The Eagles got off to a great start in beating Oxford Hills (9-6) 6-0 at Thomas College.

Haley Lowell set up Nathalie St. Pierre for a quick strike 58 seconds into the game. Less than four minutes later Leighton helped make it 2-0 Messalonskee as she found an open Lydia Dexter with a great pass for another goal.

“We’ve got to treat every game like a championship game. Oxford Hills, they are a great team,” Leighton said. “We need to treat every team like it’s our biggest competition so getting off to a good, quick start is really important to us.”

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From there the Eagles cooled off and led 2-0 at halftime. Leighton said she was not sure if the cold rain was a factor in Messalonskee’s slowed play, but Oxford Hills goalkeeper Shannon Fillebrown (13 saves) certainly was.

“Their goalkeeper, I can’t say enough great things about her. She is absolutely amazing,” Messalonskee Coach Kate McLaughlin said. “She does a great job and I think she definitely makes our girls frustrated.”

Messalonskee was never in danger of losing the lead as it controlled play.

That advantage in possession paid off in the form of a penalty stroke 3:21 into the second half, which Leighton converted by lifting a shot inside the left post.

“We definitely slowed down the second half of the first half and kind of lost a little momentum,” McLaughlin said. “Ally being a senior captain, she’s the leader of this team and to see her complete that successfully definitely motivated everyone.”

From there Messalonskee rolled, as Riley Field scored with an assist from Emily Hogan with 13:21 remaining and less than one minute later Field returned the favor by setting up Hogan for a goal.

Sierra McLellan capped off the scoring with a goal with 4:36 remaining in the game.

LAWRENCE 3, EDWARD LITTLE 1: Lauren Watson scored three goals as the Bulldogs (13-2) topped the Red Eddies (6-8-1) in an Eastern Class A quarterfinal at Fairfield.


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