WINDHAM—Four different Lady Eagles – including Emma Yale, with two – scored when Kennebunk came to town on Thursday evening, May 31. Windham thus dug out of an early, 4-1 hole, though they couldn’t maintain enough momentum in the later minutes to pull out a W.

Chalk this one in the Rams’ win column, 9-5.

“We didn’t help ourselves early, with a couple turnovers,” Windham head coach Matt Perkins said. “And we had to claw back in it.”

Kennebunk dashed out front 3-0 to kick off the contest: Brie Beaudette tallied less than three minutes in, and Hallie Schwartzman followed her up with a pair of rapid-fire points shortly thereafter.

The Eagles got on the board with 18:31 on the clock, Alanna Joyce doing the honors. The Rams answered – Lily Schwartzman struck at 17:42 – but Windham riposted in turn, Belle Skvorak notching at 12:15.

“We knew both Schwartzmans are very good,” Perkins said, asked about Windham’s strategy for the Rams. “We tried to limit their touches early; [Hallie Schwartzman] got us a couple times on drives. Called a timeout, started taking that stuff away.”

Emily Archibald added one for Kennebunk at 8:12, and Riley Beem one for the Eagles less than a minute later, sending the sides into the break with the Rams on top 5-3.

“We had to settle down,” Perkins said. “Everyone knows they beat Massabesic, and they’re the No. 1 team in the State. We had to take a breath. I mean, we had five turnovers in the first two minutes, and they had three goals.

“We were helping them, and a team like that does not need any help. We had to slow down, compose ourselves.”

Yale piled on two to begin the second half, tying things up at 5-5 and giving Windham a real chance to win – an impressive feat, given that Kennebunk has topped the A South rankings all season.

“We had some things, offensively, that we started to hit,” Perkins said. “We had a couple chances inside. I thought our effort was phenomenal.”

Alas, the final four goals all belonged to the Rams. Archibald hashed the next two midway through the downhill stretch, Beaudette contributed the one after that, and Hallie Schwartzman the last of the day.

Kennebunk’s winning push wasn’t exactly due to Windham defensive lapses. “We had a yellow card,” Perkins said. “So we were down a man, and they scored two off that. We had two goals taken off, where we had penalties.

“Two points taken off the board – that’s pretty tough. You get the ball back, but you’re not guaranteed to score again, which we didn’t. You take points off the board, it’s a killer.”

Joyce and Ashley Cummings also kicked an assist apiece for the Eagles.

Perkins took a moment to applaud a number of his girls. “I though defensively we played very well. (Goalie) Grace Sawyer had some great saves. The whole defense did a great job of stepping in, and pinching.

“Our middies did a great job getting back on defense, hustling down and making some great reads – and assists, throwing it inside and hitting some cutters (on offense). Second half, we started getting some turnovers and our pressure was good.”

No. 4 Windham closes their regular season at 7-5. The team faces off at home with No. 5 Lewiston on Wednesday, June 6.

“The thing we’re learning with this schedule,” Perkins said, “is confidence that we’re taking the next step as a team and a program – that we’re competing at the high level…Our goal all year was just to get better and better.

“When we were 2-2, I didn’t feel we were a great team. We’ve talked about it. The team we are now would beat that team by 10 goals. We’re competing with the best teams.”

Adam Birt can be reached at abirt@keepmecurrent.com. Follow him on Twitter @CurrentSportsME.

Belle Skvorak carries for the Lady Eagles.

Alanna Joyce surveys the field at the top of the Kennebunk zone.

Lauren Black drives forward for Windham.

Emma Yale chases a Kennebunk opponent.

Riley Beem pushes ahead for the Eagles.

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