FALMOUTH – Jessica DiPhilipo converted a penalty kick with 15 minutes left in the game to lift Falmouth to its second Class B girls soccer state championship in three years Saturday afternoon.
DiPhilipo’s kick from the 14-year line snapped a scoreless tie and propelled the Yachtsmen to a 1-0 win against Caribou in a game played on their own turf field.
Additional Photos
“The longer the game went on, the more we thought it was going to come down to one goal,” Falmouth coach Jon Meek said. “That often happens in a championship game because there are two good teams out there, and without a doubt Caribou was a very good team.”
The penalty kick was awarded when Jamie Martin, a junior defender, used her hands to keep the ball out of the goal while the Vikings were defending the last in a series of five corner kicks taken from the right side by Falmouth during the second half. In soccer, only the goalie can use her hands.
“I kicked the corner, and she was standing on the left side of the goal line,” DiPhilipo said. “Someone headed or kicked the ball, and she pretty much put up her hands to stop it. It was either going to go in, or she was going to hand-ball it.”
It was the first penalty kick of the season taken by DiPhilipo, who sent a line drive into the right side just beyond the grasp of goalie Morgan Swan.
Because of the handball infraction, the Vikings played the final 15 minutes of the game with 10 players on the field instead of 11.
The penalty kick followed 25 minutes of nearly continuous pressure applied by Falmouth.
“We did a better job of holding on to the ball in the second half, moving it around and connecting passes, and I think our opportunities started to come,” Meek said.
Caribou, making its first appearance in a state final in more than 20 years, held a 5-3 edge in shots on goal during the first half.
“We knew Caribou was going to come here and give it a right good go, and they did,” said Meek, who grew up in the United Kingdom. “They worked phenomenally hard in the first half. They caught us a little square on occasions in the back. Perhaps we weren’t as well organized as we normally are.”
Caribou’s best scoring chances came during the first 40 minutes of the game.
“We had three or four good opportunities, and if we could have scored on one of those maybe it could have been a different game,” Caribou coach Todd Albert said. “I can’t fault any of my players’ efforts.”
Falmouth goalie Elizabeth Estabrook made all five of her saves during the first half to keep the Vikes off the scoreboard.
“She made some great saves,” DiPhilipo said. “She’s always at the top her game. She’s really quick to the ball, and is in the right place at the right time
It was the seventh consecutive shutout for Falmouth, which finished with a 13-4-1 record.
Caribou finished with a 14-3-1 record.
Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:
pbetit@pressherald.comt
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Comments are no longer available on this story