YARMOUTH — Kaylee Leclerc scored 1:19 into the second overtime Wednesday as seventh-seeded Spruce Mountain stunned top-ranked Yarmouth 2-1 in a Class B South field hockey quarterfinal.

The Phoenix (11-5) will be at sixth-seeded Leavitt (10-5) of Turner in the semifinals Saturday. Leavitt ousted No. 3 Fryeburg Academy on Wednesday.

Spruce Mountain co-coach Julia Parker said she was happy with the way her team responded after allowing the first goal of the game. The Phoenix, led by goalie Grace Ryan, stymied the Clippers.

“(Ryan) works hard all the time and is phenomenal,” Parker said. “We’re sorry that she’s a senior because she does an excellent job.”

Each team had its share of excellent chances in the first seven-on-seven overtime. Alex Bessey, a force all game for Spruce Mountain, got behind the Yarmouth defense a number of times but goalie Tori Messina came up big.

“We talked about using just one side of the field so not to tire ourselves out,” Parker said. “Before the second overtime we talked about getting more control of the ball in the circle rather than just driving it at the goalie.”

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Yarmouth (11-3-1) countered in the first overtime with quality chances, but Coach Mandy Lewis said her team let a couple of opportunities slip away.

“We knew that their goalie was one of their strongest players,” Lewis said.

“We spent a lot of time at practice working on our rebounds, and getting second and third shots, but we just weren’t able to do that today.

“We were playing a little too defensively inside our offensive circle and it hurt us.”

The Phoenix tied the score off a penalty corner with about 10:30 remaining in regulation. Bessey took the inbounds pass and sent a hard shot on goal that was deflected in by a Yarmouth defender.

Bessey nearly had tied the game earlier in the second half. She took a lead pass and ran down the sideline but her shot was saved by Messina.

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“She’s a fast girl,” Parker said. “She does great stick work, and is an athlete that runs all over and works hard.”

Each team had quality opportunities in the second half.

Yarmouth’s coaches said before the game that they had worked on penalty corners during a recent scrimmage against Cheverus.

The effort paid off on the team’s first goal.

It came with about 21 minutes left in the first half. Breanna Morrill sent the insertion pass on goal but Ryan made a kick save. The rebound was put into the cage by Taylor Robison for the 1-0 lead.

“It was a great way to start the game,” Lewis said. “And to have Taylor, one of our defenders, come up and score for us was exciting. But we only had a few other corners and we weren’t able to convert.”

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Yarmouth dominated possession in the first half but Spruce Mountain had its share of quality chances, including two penalty corners.

Bessey had a couple of tries on goal, and the Phoenix had other rushes throughout the half, but defender Sammy Middleton, who was all over the field, helped the Clippers hold on.

Spruce Mountain’s best chance of the half came in the opening minutes.

After withstanding some pressure by Yarmouth to start the game, the Phoenix broke out and rushed upfield. A long shot by Alexis Beardsley was kicked away by Messina and the rebound cleared.

The teams combined for more than 20 shots and more than 15 saves.


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