FREEPORT

One moment in time. That is what it came down to when the Freeport High School field hockey team looked to knock off Yarmouth on Wednesday in its Western Maine Conference regular-season finale.

Throughout more than 23 minutes, the Falcons and Clippers sprinted end to end, with each team knocking on the door for the all-important first goal.

Unfortunately for Freeport, it was Yarmouth that managed to strike first, and the Clippers rode that early turning point to a 2-0 win.

Yarmouth finished 13-1 and appears locked in to the No. 2 spot in the Western Maine Class C Heal Point Standings after jumping in front of Lisbon, which watched the contest from the stands and is likely the No. 3 team in Western C.

On the other side, Freeport, which has been shut out in four straight games, is currently sitting in seventh place in Western B. The Falcons are likely on a collision course with No. 2 Leavitt (10-3-1) of the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference.

“We were flying high a couple weeks ago, but we just couldn’t continue that flow,” said Freeport coach Marcia Wood after her team finished the regular season at 7-6-1. “They say they want it, but we haven’t seen it yet, and I know we are having a hard time scoring and it is in their heads. We shoot, shoot, shoot in practice and have gone around 70 corners without a goal.”

Turning point

Off a scramble in front of Freeport goaltender Morgan Karnes (eight saves), the ball became tied up. Yarmouth was awarded a penalty stroke, and Kallie Hutchinson made no mistake, sending a shot over the right shoulder of Karnes and high into the cage for a 1-0 lead with 6:53 left until halftime.

Wood immediately called a timeout to calm her team.

“When I called that timeout you could tell that they were defeated,” said Wood. “They were quiet today, and that energy wasn’t there. Yarmouth was winning the race to every ball. They just don’t see themselves able to defeat those types of teams, even though I know that they can.”

The Clippers kept coming and picked up an insurance goal four minutes later as Cara Ricciardi finished off a cross from Emilie Martin.

Yarmouth carried its momentum into the second half, firing the first four shots on goal and earning eight consecutive penalty corners. Again Wood called a timeout, this time with 10 minutes remaining.

Suddenly Freeport found its stride, pushing back for the first time since midway through the opening frame. The Falcons pinned the Clippers into their defensive zone, and the work paid off with six penalty corners and a ton of pressure around Yarmouth goaltender Tori Messina.

“The hustle, we really wanted it, and we knew that we needed to outhustle them to the ball,” said Freeport senior Abby Smith. “I thought that we were right with them, girls bringing the ball up the field, and we were clearing well.”

Messina’s best save came with 8:06 remaining when Freeport forward Taylor Schenker launched a shot into the goaltender’s pads. With seniors Hannah Williams and Dani Foster buzzing around the goal, the rebound was cleared away from the goal line by Clippers defenseman Sammie Middleton.

Yarmouth finished with a 10-5 shots advantage and a 13-11 edge in penalty corners.

Yarmouth 2,
Freeport 0

At Freeport
Yarmouth — 2 0 — 2
Freeport — 0 0 — 0
Goals — (Y) Kallie Hutchinson, Cara
Ricciardi.
Assist — (Y) Emilie Martin.
Shots — Yarmouth 10, Freeport 5.
Saves — (Y) Tori Messina 4; (F)
Morgan Karnes 8.
Penalty corners — Yarmouth 13,
Freeport 11.
Records — Yarmouth 13-1, Freeport
7-6-1.
Up next for the Falcons — Western
B quarterfinal, likely at No. 2 Leavitt
on Tuesday or Wednesday.