SOUTH BERWICK – Maggie Carbin said she was willing to spend most of her junior season last year playing on the Scarborough High junior varsity field hockey team.

She said she loved being part of the team, wanted to play for Coach Kerry Mariello and, “I knew my time would come.”

Additional Photos

Abby Doyle of Marshwood races for the ball ahead of Maggie Carbin of Scarborough during Scarborough’s 2-1 field hockey victory Wednesday. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

It came Wednesday in the opening game of her senior season. Carbin scored twice in 2:29 to quickly erase Marshwood’s lead and give the Red Storm a 2-1 victory in an SMAA game.

Marshwood’s goal by Claudia Folger with 11:19 to play was the first scored against Scarborough by an SMAA opponent since Windham emerged with an upset victory in the 2011 playoffs. Scarborough didn’t allow a goal in Western Class A play in 2012, then lost to Skowhegan 3-0 in the state final.

After a timeout by Mariello, Scarborough’s revamped lineup (only three starters return) showed it would not be crushed to give up a goal.

Instead the Red Storm quickly responded with Carbin’s goals with 10:26 and 7:57 to play, both on deflections of Abby Walker drives.

“Even though we were set back by that goal, we were able to pick it up and power through and work as a team, and get the flow going and get those two goals,” Carbin said.

Carbin’s first goal came after Walker made a strong rush up the center of the field and powered a shot that was headed just outside the left post, then went off Carbin.

At first Carbin stood quietly, almost as if she was unsure how to react after scoring.

“It actually went off my knee into the goal so I wasn’t sure if they were going to call it back or not,” Carbin said. “I mean everyone else started celebrating. I was surprised at first but happy.”

The goal should not have counted if Carbin’s description was accurate.

“If it goes off one of my defender’s (body) then it would count (but) not if it goes off an attacker,” Marshwood Coach Lisa Truesdale said.

While upset about the ruling, Truesdale was more pained by her team’s response to taking a lead against Scarborough.

“Then we played hesitant, almost as if we were afraid to make a mistake,” Truesdale said. “Then they came right down with possession and took control and we let them.”

After Carbin’s first goal, Scarborough continued to pressure and then, with Marshwood goalie Cassidy Smith (7 saves) prone on the ground, Carbin cleanly used her stick to whack the ball into the goal.

“Coming back from adversity, down 1-0 on a grass surface (on the road) and to come back the way we did and blast those two in there was quite a statement about what our team could potentially be, or they are,” Mariello said.

For the game, Scarborough had a 9-4 edge in shots and a slight 7-6 advantage in penalty corners.

In the first half, Marshwood’s defense, led by its senior captain, Jun Shin, along with promising play from freshman Elaine Batchelder, was able to keep the game scoreless.

Marshwood, which won the 2011 Western Maine title, has not beaten Scarborough in Truesdale’s eight seasons as coach.

That streak appeared ready to end after Folger banged in a rebound to cap an extended stretch of control.

Instead, Scarborough stretched its Western Class A winning streak to 18 games thanks to new faces such as goalie Alyssa Souza (3 saves), physical and skilled defender Kaitlyn Prince, forward Kristen Murray and Carbin.

“I got some playing time last year. Not a lot. I swung down to play in some JV games. I definitely have more of a role this year,” Carbin said.

“I just love the team and everyone who plays field hockey. I knew my time would come if I kept working at it.”

Steve Craig can be contacted at 791-6413 or at:

scraig@mainetoday.com

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