The Richmond High School girls soccer team was perfect all season long. A 14- 0 record put the Bobcats at the top of the Western D Heal Point Standings and out of the way of every team below them.
“We gave them everything we had, everything they’ve had up until this point I believe,” Lakers coach Chip Smith said after the game.
“I think the kids were a little unhappy quite honestly,” Richmond coach Troy Kendrick said. “I think they were a little upset on how we put things together. It wasn’t a work of art, probably wasn’t the prettiest win of the season, but at this point in the year a win is a win.”
Near misses
The Bobcats opened up the scoring chances with 34:38 remaining in the first half when Kelsea Anair pushed a give-and-go to Meranda Martin, whose touch soared just over the crossbar and out of play. Thirteen minutes later, Rangeley answered with a shot of its own when Michaela Shorey lifted a corner kick into the box, but Mary-Page Swiney’s header missed wide-right of the net..
At 17:34 the Bobcats set up inside the box for their own corner kick. Camryn Hurley’s ball from the corner was taken off the head of Anair to the foot of Destiny Anair, but her blast went out-of-play just left of the post.
With 1:19 left to play before halftime, the Bobcats had one more opportunity to go up 1-0. Kelsea Anair charged in on a loose ball inside the 18, but Lakers goalie Sydney Royce (eight saves) was able to dive on top of it before Anair had a chance to follow through.
“They got a quality goalkeeper,” Kendrick said of Royce. “We were probably not going to beat her from 30 yards, so we were probably going to have to take advantage of a restart.”
On top of the Lakers tough goaltending, Kendrick said it wasn’t easy creating scoring opportunities.
“We needed a few more looks,” he said of his offense. “But we generated some pressure, it was just a matter of finishing.”
The pressure paid off in the opening minutes of the second half, just 2:05 off the clock to be exact. With an indirect kick awarded to the Bobcats 20-yards out, the Lakers set their defense on the 18-yard line, limiting Richmond’s forward momentum. However, Kelsea Anair chipped the ball up-and-over the wall and playable for Martin, who took only two touches before burying it into the back of the net to put the Bobcats up 1-0.
“That one goal was just a scrummage in front of the net,” Smith said. “Even after that goal went in I still believed that for the majority of time we were taking chances and we were getting opportunities.”
One of those opportunities came with 13:49 remaining in regulation when Shorey collected a deflected ball inside the 18, but Shorey’s shot connected with Richmond defender Cassidy Harriman, sending it out-of-play to keep the Bobcats in the lead.
“It was a great season,” Smith said. “When we tied Greenville 0-0 and then only lost to Searsport 1-0, then turn around and beat them 3-0 to go 1-1-1 in that stretch, we definitely believed we could do this.”
With the win, the Bobcats advance to the Western Class D finals, facing No. 2 Searsport, which defeated No. 3 Greenville 1-0 on Friday. Only one game separates the Bobcats and a chance at the state title, but Martin says the bond amongst the team is what is important to keep composure.
“We bond great, all of us,” she said. “We’re really close and we keep it together and play our game.”
“You just focus on the task at hand,” Kendrick said. “You have to take it one step at a time and these girls are pretty good about just taking care of business and not thinking too far ahead.”
The Bobcats will host Searsport on Wednesday at a time to be announced.
No. 1 Richmond 1,
No. 5 Rangeley 0
Western D Girls Soccer Semifinal
At Richmond
Rangeley — 0 0 — 0
Richmond — 0 1 — 1
Goals — (Rich) Meranda Martin.
Assists — (Rich) Kelsea Anair.
Shots — Richmond 15, Rangeley 3
Saves — (Rich) Kelsie Obi 1; (Rang)
Sydney Royce 8.
Corner kicks — Rangeley 4, Richmond 2.
Records — Richmond 15-0; Rangeley 8-6-1.
Up next for Richmond — Western
Class D Finals against No. 2 Searsport on Wednesday, 1:30 p.m.
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