BATH

The Morse High School girls soccer team entered the Class B South postseason on Monday, with a familiar foe coming back to McMann Field for a preliminary contest.

No. 12 Lincoln Academy, which lost to the Shipbuilders six days earlier, 2-0, was looking for a better result.

Fifth-seeded Morse had other ideas, doubling last Tuesday’s total with a 4-0 win, sending the Shipbuilders to Wednesday’s quarterfinal matchup at No. 4 Cape Elizabeth (6 p.m.).

Morse (13-2) received a big boost from freshman Emily Martin, who tallied three goals in the win, while senior Amanda Gagne’s blast into a strong wind just past the midway point of the second frame put the Eagles (5-7-3) away.

In the first half, the Shipbuilders played with the wind at their back, allowing the hosts to outshoot Lincoln, 12-2 through 40 minutes and more importantly grab a 2-0 lead.

“The wind did play a factor, as it helped and hurt,” said Morse coach Steve Boyce. “The wind took nice balls and just made them go. But, it was nice to get a goal or two in the first half.”

The Eagles nearly grabbed a quick 1-0 lead when Alison York’s shot struck the left post and deflected away.

From there, it was all Shipbuilders. Martin scored her first goal with 26:36 on the clock, finishing a pass from Micailah Albertson.

Martin scored again, this time with 8:13 remaining in the opening frame. Gagne sent a pass forward, with Martin hustling in and beating Lincoln Academy goaltender Christine Hilton (10 saves) to the ball. As Hilton and Martin collided, the ball struck an Eagles defender and just crossed the goal line to double Morse’s lead.

“We were trying to gauge how the wind was going, and that helped us, especially in the first half,” said Martin.

“Emily gave the effort that she has given us all year. She scored goals where she just didn’t give up. That is the way the team plays,” said Boyce.

Eagles surge

With the wind favoring Lincoln Academy in the second half, the Eagles pressed forward. But, four shots missed the target, allowing the Shipbuilders to weather the storm.

Gagne put the game out of reach when her rising blast from 25-yards out found the back of the cage with 19:40 remaining.

“We felt good at the half, but we weren’t comfortable coming into the second half. Amanda’s goal made us more pumped,” said Martin.

“A two-goal lead is nothing, and we knew that they had the wind at their back in the second half,” added Boyce, who praised the adjustment by defenders Mae Winglass, Sierra Wallace, Hope Faulkingham and Kali Pierce. “My concern for the defense in the second half is that it’s a different ball, where in the first half the ball dies in front and the second it comes at you hard. They stepped up and did what they had to do.”

Martin finished her hat trick with 4:40 remaining, finishing a play started by Gagne with a pass to Albertson.

Next comes the meeting with the Capers, who at 7-5-3 is sure to be a formidable opponent come Wednesday night.

“On Wednesday we need to play our game. If we play the way we can, we will walk away happy. We will give Cape a good game,” said Boyce.

“We need to give it our all, and if we play our game, we will be good,” said Martin.

Morse goaltender Marissa Parks made four saves and the Shipbuilders led in shots (19-9) and corner kicks (3-2).

No. 5 Morse 4,
No. 12 Lincoln 0

Class B South Girls Soccer Prelim
At McMann Field in Bath
Lincoln — 0 0 — 0
Morse — 2 2 — 4
Goals — (Mo) Emily Martin 3, Amanda
Gagne.
Assists — (Mo) Micailah Albertson 2,
Amanda Gagne 2.
Shots — Morse 19, Lincoln 9
Saves — (LA) Christine Hilton 10, Kortney McKenna 0; (Mo) Marissa Parks 4.
Corner kicks — Morse 3, Lincoln 2.
Records — Morse 13-2, Lincoln 5-7-3.
Up next for the Shipbuilders — Wednesday at No. 4 Cape Elizabeth, 6 p.m.