PORTLAND — Deering wasted little time getting the early momentum in an SMAA girls soccer game against visiting Massabesic on Wednesday. The Rams scored two goals in the first 13 minutes and played stout defense the rest of the way to win 4-0 at Memorial Stadium.

The Rams (2-0) were able to get the ball into the goalie box within the first two minutes, as they attacked the Mustangs (1-1) defense from the onset.

It took Deering just 5:48 to break onto the scoreboard, as Cora Melcher found space in the middle of the defense and blasted an open shot past Massabesic goalie Hannah Lundrigan.

“It’s always good (to score) early, because on the field then you can relax and you don’t have to think as much; you can just play like how we know how to play,” said Melcher.

MiCary Verville doubled that Deering lead less than eight minutes later, as she struck a pass from Courtney Brett in rhythm from the left side into the far right corner of the net.

The Mustangs began to even out the play after the early Rams onslaught, as they started to figure out how to deal with the Deering offensive attack.

“These girls are resilient, so they kept working,” said Massabesic assistant coach Hallie Hawkes. “We had to sort out marking.”

Massabesic had a few chances late in the first half, but weren’t able to seriously pressure Deering goalie Emily Mooney. Mooney did have to make a diving stop on a pass from the right corner off the foot of Massabesic’s Kym Hendrix, but Hannah Sleight wasn’t able to get a foot on the loose ball, and the Rams cleared it away.

The Mustangs then got the ball in deep into the penalty box on a free kick in the final two minutes, but weren’t able to get a shot off.

“They’re going to keep plugging away and keep pushing, and keep the pressure on,” Hawkes said of her team’s determination late in the half.

The second half started much the same way the first half did, with Deering coming on strong offensively against the Massabesic defense. A handful of quality chances were denied, but Verville finally pulled through for the Rams, as she flipped a shot over Lundrigan off of a corner kick by Melcher.

Melcher finished off the scoring with a low, hard shot from the top of the 18 with 10 minutes to play.

“I feel like we all came together, and we played as one compact unit, and it just made us feel really good and confident in our abilities to play as a team,” Deering junior Megan Violette said of her team’s complete effort.

The Mustangs now have to regroup for their home opener on Friday, when they host McAuley at 6 p.m.

“They walk away with a hard lesson ”“ nobody likes to lose 4-0 ”“ but they worked hard, and they grow stronger as a team,” said Hawkes. “They’ll be ready for Friday’s game.”

— Staff Writer Wil Kramlich can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 323 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @WilTalkSports.