HAMPDEN – Sacopee Valley seniors Kara Singleton and Emily Lane have been playing soccer together since they can remember.

“We work so well together,” Singleton said.

They worked well enough Saturday to combine for two goals and give the Hawks a 2-1 overtime victory against Fort Kent in the Class C girls’ soccer championship game.

It was the first girls’ soccer state title for Sacopee.

Lane scored the winner, taking a feed from Singleton, eluding the charging goalkeeper and scoring after 5:02 of overtime.

“I saw Kara get the ball and she makes great through balls,” Lane said. “As soon as I saw the pass go through, I knew we had to capitalize.”

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Sacopee Valley (16-1-1) dominated most of the game, outshooting the Warriors, 20-9. But Fort Kent (14-3-1) was resilient, constantly holding off the Hawks.

“We knew (Lane and Singleton) would be the two kids who would do it for them,” said Fort Kent Coach Robby Nadeau, whose team had the two forwards marked well.

Sacopee Valley scored first on a Singleton goal at 27:29 of the second half.

The Hawks had stepped up the pressure and kept creating chances with feeds into the box, causing races between their forwards and Fort Kent goalkeeper Carissa Pelletier.

Pelletier held steady, deflecting a Singleton shot earlier.

“They have a very good defense,” Singleton said. “Every time we kicked it in, they kicked it back.”

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But Lane lofted a pass over the defense to set up Singleton’s goal.

“Kara is fast enough to get to the ball,” Lane said, “and she has no problem going one-on-one with the keeper.”

Singleton beat the goalkeeper to the ball and tried to shoot. Pelletier partially deflected the ball, but Singleton kept at it and kicked the ball into an open net for a 1-0 lead.

The goal seemed to energize Fort Kent, who picked up the pace. At 31:04, the Warriors were awarded a direct kick just outside the box. Alex Desjardins smoked a perfect shot into the upper left corner.

In the scoreless first half, Sacopee Valley controlled play but couldn’t put together a quality chance. The Hawks moved the ball but often were disrupted in the box, especially by defenders Rebecca Martin, Samantha Carapellucci and Jessica Walker.

Hawks midfielders Maeve Miller-Downey, Alexis Toolin and Brooke Totman helped push the ball up to Singleton and Lane.

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Fort Kent appeared content to counter-attack when possible. But Sacopee Valley defender Catherine Murch was normally in position to clear.

“Catherine Murch is the difference in our ballclub from any other year,” Hawks Coach Kevin Murphy said.

Backing up Murch, goalkeeper Courtney Ross had five saves.

Sacopee Valley outshot the Warriors 5-3 in the first half, but Fort Kent had the best opportunity. At 26:30, forward Lauren Doak beat her defender and raced the goalkeeper to a loose ball in the box. Doak got there first, but her shot hit the left post.

Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or at:

kthomas@pressherald.com

 


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