TOPSHAM

Facing the same team in a season, even after two dominating victories, can be a challenge, especially with the pressures of the postseason.

Just three days after besting Edward Little in his team’s regular-season finale to garner the No. 8 seed, Sam Chard watched his Mt. Ararat High School girls soccer team make it 3-for-3 against the Eddies this season with a 2-0 victory in an Eastern Maine Class A preliminary contest on Friday.

“Playing the same team three times in a season is difficult, and in the playoffs anything can happen,” said Chard. “Trying to keep the girls pumped up was a challenge, considering we beat them by three goals both times around.”

The Eagles scored one goal in each half, and the play of defenders Sonja Robert, Chelsea Crawford and Kristi Willey, along with eight saves from netminder Michelle Pelletier, were too much for the ninth-seeded Eddies (7-8) to overcome.

The win gives Mt. Ararat a 10-5 record, with the Eagles next slated to visit top-seeded Bangor for an Eastern A quarterfinal contest.

“The mental battle is the biggest thing, knowing Bangor played some hard teams along the way just like us,” said Chard, whose Eagles lost to the Rams 5-0 on Oct. 12. “We have a good chance, just as good as a shot as anybody. We have gone up there many times for the playoffs and have come back happy on several occasions. On any given day, you never know.”

Eagles pressure

Mt. Ararat, using a strong wind to its advantage, controlled the first 20 minutes, outshooting the Eddies 8-0. Celia Ouellette hit the crossbar above the outstetched hands of EL goaltender Taylor Landry twice in the early going.

The Eagles struck for their first goal with 27:29 remaining in the opening half. Ouellette sent a pass to Torri Pelletier, who stuck her head between two EL defenders and deposited a shot past Landry for a 1-0 lead.

“We were nervous, but that first goal seemed to relax us a little bit,” said Torri Pelletier. “Celia was so good again today, and the pass she gave me was just like how we practice.”

“The early goal fired the team up, especially after hitting the crossbar a couple times early,” said Chard. “Right from the whistle we played hard, got a goal, and for us a key is to score first.”

“We were a little bit deflated after Tuesday’s game (a 3-0 loss), knowing we didn’t play as well as we could have, and drawing Mt. Ararat was tough, considering they are not really an eight seed, more like a four or five seed,” said Eddies coach Craig Latuscha. “My girls played hard all the way to the final whistle. I am proud of them.”

Landry kept her team in it, making seven first-half saves. And, the Eddies seemed to find their stride over the final 15 minutes, especially Lexi Clavet, who found room in the Mt. Ararat defense to fire two shots on the Eagles goal.

“It was tough, having to face a lot of shots in the first half,” said Landry. “But, we felt good, down just 1-0 at the half, and really knew we could come back. We were pumped up before the game, even had a pep rally, and believed we could do better than on Tuesday.”

Going into the wind in the second half, Mt. Ararat continued to apply pressure on the EL defense of Sarah Hammond, Danielle Rock, Hannah Smith and Avery Chisholm.

And, the Eagles doubled their lead as Ouellette got her head on a bouncing ball in front of Landry with 20:23 remaining.

Clavet had EL’s best chance down the stretch, sending a hard shot off the Eagles netminder, with Crawford clearing the ball out of danger.

The Eagles finished with a 24-10 shots advantage and held a 4-1 edge in corner kicks.