TOPSHAM

In his first year as head coach of the Mt. Ararat high school girls soccer team, Chad Kirk wanted his athletes to compete, improve as the year went on and be there in the end.

With the regular season ending Monday night, the Eagles took on Brunswick with hopes of making the postseason with a win.

Brunswick’s Anna Kousky legged a deflected ball into the back of the net at 16:31 in the second half, breaking a 1-1 tie and lifting the visiting Dragons to a 2-1 victory in a Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference tilt.

“It’s about being in the right place at the right time,” said Kousky. “It went off Maeve (Arthur) and I kicked it in.”

Brunswick finishes the regular season at 13-1 and will play Camden Hills in the Class A KVAC championship game on Thursday at Lawrence at 6 p.m. The loss finishes Mt. Ararat’s season at 5-8-1.

“Every game at the end of the season meant something, so we’ve already been in playoff mode,” said Kirk. “We just need to find that consistency.”

Brunswick came out of the gates pushing the Mt. Ararat defense back. After missing on a pair of attempts, the Dragons’ first shot on goal beat keeper Zoe Stilphen. Intercepting a Mt. Ararat pass, Lea Scrapchansky slid past a pair of Eagles defenders before passing it to the middle, where she found Arthur. Her shot bounced away from Stilphen and into the cage for a 1-0 Brunswick lead 3:28 into the game.

Brunswick continued putting pressure on Mt. Ararat. Scrapchansky and Kousky charged the back line, passing to one another before seniors Katelyn Hutchins and Chloe Beattie broke up the play for the Eagles.

“They played really hard tonight and worked their socks off,” said Brunswick coach Martyn Davison of the Mt. Ararat team. “We could have gone up more earlier, but with Senior Night, they came to play.”

Midway through the half, Ema Hawkes tried to push the equalizer across for the Eagles, but her effort was denied when Beth Labbe came out of the net and stopped the freshman’s shot for the save.

Despite being outshot by the Dragons 9-2 in the opening half, Mt. Ararat made the most of its opportunities. Eagles Amber Card and Brennan Thiboutot worked their way deep into Brunswick territory before Emily Larochelle broke up the play, forcing a corner. The Eagles came up empty handed.

With less than three minutes remaining in the half, Mt. Ararat was awarded an indirect kick from 25-yards out. Thiboutot made a soft touch before Hutchins got a leg on the ball to knot the game, 1-1.

“That was pretty amazing,” said Hutchins. “That was my first goal of my varsity career.”

“I thought we were controlling the game, but they got a goal late in the first half and were right in it,” said Davison.

After some halftime adjustments, the Dragons opened the second half a little more aggressive.

“I made some changes at halftime. Nothing too big, I just wanted the girls to shoot more,” said Davison.

The Dragons did just that. In the first five minutes of the second frame, they put three shots towards the net and two more on goal, including blasts from Scrapchansky and Arthur. Stilphen turned both away, recording two of her 10 saves.

Following the Kousky score the put the Dragons ahead 2-1, Mt. Ararat kept moving forward, trying to tie the contest. Hawkes had several chances for the Eagles.

“She’s a beast out there,” said Kirk. “She challenges the back four and does it so well. She’ll buy us more corners in years to come.

“We’re getting better, we’re not a kick and run team. We’re starting to move the ball more, making good passes. Our program will keep growing, we’ll be all right.”

Mt. Ararat was unable to register the tying goal and the Dragons came away with the road victory. Brunswick concluded the game outshooting the Eagles 23-7 while taking the advantage in corners, 5-3. In the net, Labbe stopped all four shots she faced in the second half, finishing with six saves.

“They were really tough and came at us tonight,” said Kousky. “What it came down to was who wanted it more and I think that was us.”

“It was a scrappy game. This is a tough place to play,” said Davison. “There were a couple of scary moments in the second half, but by the end, I was pleased with our effort.”

Brunswick 2,
Mt. Ararat 1

At Mt. Ararat High School
Brunswick — 1 1 — 2
Mt. Ararat — 1 0 — 1
Goals — (B) Maeve Arthur, Anna
Kousky, (MtA) Katelyn Hutchins.
Assists — (B) Lea Scrapchansky,
Maeve Arthur, (MtA) Brennan Thiboutot. Shots — Brunswick 23, Mt. Ararat 7.
Saves — (B) Beth Labbe 6, (MtA)
Zoe Stilphen 10.
Corners — Brunswick 5, Mt. Ararat
3.
Records — Brunswick 13-1, Mt.
Ararat 5-8-1.
Up next for Dragons — KVAC Championship, Thursday against Camden
Hills at Lawrence High School at 6
p.m.
Note — Pending the final Heal Point
Standings, it appears the season has
concluded for the Eagles.