BATH

Morse High School field hockey coach Stefenie Pinkham did everything to remind her team that facing the undefeated Nokomis Warriors was “just another game on the schedule.”

For 60 minutes in Thursday’s Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference matchup, Pinkham’s Shipbuilders played hard and never once backed down from the constant bombardment put on by the visitors, who finished with a 49-1 shots advantage and a 6-0 victory.

After the contest, Pinkham told her team she was proud of their effort and the team’s overall growth.

“They played excellent, stick for stick, and it was just that we faced a lot of shots today,” said Pinkham, who praised goaltender Bryanna Ringrose, who made 43 saves despite feeling under the weather. “She was excellent as always. Bryanna always comes with her game face on and does a really good job.

MORSE HIGH SCHOOL field hockey player Brittany Kaler (right,top photo) attempts to get past Nokomis forward Mikayla Charters in first-half KVAC action in Bath on Thursday. In the botom photo, Morse midfielder Kaylee Walker carries the ball up the field with Nokomis' Kirsten Costedio (25) closing in. The Warriors won, 6-0 to drop the Shipbuilders to 1-5 on the season.

MORSE HIGH SCHOOL field hockey player Brittany Kaler (right,top photo) attempts to get past Nokomis forward Mikayla Charters in first-half KVAC action in Bath on Thursday. In the botom photo, Morse midfielder Kaylee Walker carries the ball up the field with Nokomis’ Kirsten Costedio (25) closing in. The Warriors won, 6-0 to drop the Shipbuilders to 1-5 on the season.

“And, our defense, KK (Koralei Fifield) our sweeper was extraordinary, Julia Hart, and Catherine Sener were all over the field. They all played well today.”

Ringrose was quick to back up her coach’s words, praising her defense.

“I was able to keep my eyes on the ball well today, and the defense in front of me was great,” said Ringrose, whose team heads to Oceanside on Saturday at 10 a.m. “We are doing so much better and seem to be moving forward. We saw a lot of improvement today and so far this season.”

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Though Nokomis held a 26- 0 shots advantage in the first half, the score was just 2-0. The Warriors seemed frustrated at times despite dominating territorially.

“We had a lot of scoring opportunities, but just couldn’t finish,” said Nokomis forward Lindsay Whitney, who had two goals and an assist. “At halftime, we knew that we had to get on the ball. Their goalie had a lot of good saves, and it was frustrating to get the ball all the way up there and not come away with a goal.”

Save after save

Ringrose saw pressure from the opening possession as Nokomis spread out and peppered the Morse (1-5) goal. The best save for the goaltender came six minutes in when she did the splits to take a sure goal away from Meaghan Lovley, and moments later stopped Whitney and dangerous forward Drew Graves from the doorstep.

Nokomis (6-0) kept coming and finally cashed in as Whitney tipped home a post-topost pass from Graves for a 1- 0 lead with 18:24 remaining in the first half.

Ringrose made two big stops on Olivia Brown, but Kirsten Costedio followed up and found Brown again near the left post, and this time the forward cashed in for a 2-0 Warriors lead.

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The second half began much like the first half had gone, with Nokomis peppering the Morse defense, which continued to find ways to clear the ball before the Warriors came right back at the Shipbuilders.

“We played so hard and really did the best that we could today,” said Ringrose, who was able to do little with 17:42 as Whitney and Graves hooked up again on a give and go, with Whitney notching her second tally.

That goal was followed by a pair of tallies just 1:48 apart, as Brown made it a 5-0 game by completing her hat trick. Brown wasn’t done, closing out a four-goal effort with 1:48 remaining off an assist from Mikayla Pelkey.

Morse managed its lone shot with six minutes remaining off the stick of Kaylee Walker, set up by a lead pass from Allison Plummer. Nokomis goaltender Kendra Underhill kicked the ball out of danger to maintain her shutout.

Shipbuilder midfielders Emma Harrington, Brittany Kaler, Lilah Pashley, Shira Bersch, Mallory Goodine, Asia DeRosby and Bronwyn Morissette ran a ton as Nokomis finished with an 18-0 edge in penalty corners.

Nokomis 6, Morse 0

At Bath
Nokomis — 2 4 — 6
Morse — 0 0 — 0
Goals — (Nok) Lindsay Whitney 2,
Olivia Brown 4.
Assists — (Nok) Drew Graves 2,
Kirsten Costedio, Mikayla Charters,
Lindsay Whitney, Mikayla Pelkey.
Shots — Nokomis 49, Morse 1.
Saves — (Nok) Kendra Underhill 1;
(Mo) Bryanna Ringrose 43.
Penalty corners — Nokomis 18,
Morse 0.
Records — Nokomis 6-0, Morse 1-
5.
Up next for Morse — Saturday at
Oceanside, 10 a.m.


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