DURHAM

Obstacles were stacked up against the Freeport High School girls soccer team coming into its Western Maine Conference game against Cape Elizabeth on Friday.

Injuries had several Falcons out of the lineup, including starting goaltender Aubrey Pennell. Freeport was facing a Capers squad coming in with an 8-1-1 record, having allowed just three goals. And, the Falcons had to take a bus for their “home” game, traveling to the Durham Community School because of unplayable conditions on the team’s normal home turf.

Freeport used the negatives and turned them into positives, playing a gutsy first half of soccer before falling to the now 9-1-1 Capers 4-1, leaving the Falcons at 5-6-1, but still in firm control of their playoff fate in Western Maine Class B.

Freeport, which visits York on Tuesday before closing out the regular season at home against Poland this upcoming Saturday, is currently ninth in the latest Heal Point Standings, with the top 11 making the postseason.

“I told the girls this is what we need to keep building on, playing physical and with confidence, something I am very proud of from them today,” said Freeport coach Elayna Girardin. “Even with four starters down, and with many believing Freeport could not play like that, the girls did. Other than a 15- minute span of the second half, they played well today.”

Falcons score

Neither team took control in a back-and-forth first half, with most of the play taking place near midfield.

Freeport converted its best opportunity for a 1-0 lead. Freshman Maddie Squibb stole a Cape Elizabeth clearing attempt and blasted a rising shot over the outstretched arms of Capers netminder Mary Perkins (four saves) with 13:49 left until halftime.

Moments later, Freeport nearly doubled its lead off a corner kick, but Perkins made her only save of the opening 40 minutes to keep the Capers down a goal.

“We played really well in the first half and felt really good to be up on Cape by a goal at the half,” said Squibb. “I was surprised and didn’t realize I had that shot in me.”

“Maddie was the last one I put back on jayvee, wanting her to get some more experience as a freshmen, but after the injuries I brought her up and she has easily put herself as a playing member of the varsity, getting better and better every game,” said Girardin.

Wheels fall off

After holding Cape Elizabeth to just four first-half shots, with backup netminder Jess Perry making three saves, the wheels fell off Freeport early in the second half as game-long standout Kathryn Clark tapped a loose ball past Perry to tie the game just 90 seconds in.

Four minutes later, Maddy Riker put the Capers in front for good off a corner kick, and goals by Clark (9:30, assisted by Katherine Breed) and Montana Braxton (14:02 on a direct kick) put an end to Freeport’s upset aspirations.

“That has been a problem throughout the year, like that awkward school kid who grew up to be successful but still has those doubts, with us reverting to the old Freeport and forgetting they can compete for a short time,” said Girardin. “They have to believe in themselves. Defensively, we have to keep working at it and know what to do in certain situations.”

Perry finished with six saves, with Cape Elizabeth holding a 14-8 edge in shots (10-5 in the second half) and 5- 1 advantage in corner kicks.

Freeport defenders Lexi Dietrich, Emily Johnson, Brooke Heathco and Helen Humphrey played well, along with forwards Lauren Cormier and Ashley Richardson.

Cape Elizabeth 4,
Freeport 1

At Durham Community School
Cape — 0 4 — 4
Freeport — 1 0 — 1
Goals — (CE) Kathryn Clark 2,
Maddy Ricker, Montana Braxton; (F)
Maddie Squibb.
Assists — (CE) Katherine Breed.
Shots — Cape Elizabeth, 14-8.
Saves — (CE) Mary Perkins 4; (F)
Jess Perry 6.
Corner kicks — Cape Elizabeth, 5-1.
Records — Cape Elizabeth 9-1-1,
Freeport 5-6-1.
Next for the Falcons — At York on
Tuesday at 6 p.m.