BATH — The first six minutes of Saturday’s girls high school lacrosse game at McMann Field went right according to plan for Mt. Ararat. The Eagles possessed the ball, made solid passes, and kept South Portland from gaining traction.
Then the Red Riots took off, scoring three goals in 49 seconds, one of three spurts in the first half as South Portland (2-2) captured a 15-3 victory.
Red Riot Jena Leckie led the way with five goals, four coming in the first 25 minutes as the visitors gained an 11-2 halftime advantage.
“We played together as a team, something we haven’t done in past games, and it was fun for everyone to get into the game,” said Leckie.
“Today, it was nice to be out on a field, and we tried some things,” South Portland coach Leslie Dyer added. “We are young and don’t have a lot of game experience. They made it click today, which was great to see.”
For Mt. Ararat, a fourth straight loss dropped the Eagles to 1-4, with a visit to Lewiston set for Wednesday at 5 p.m.
“The first half the first few minutes we were great, and I was saying, ‘they’re here. This is great!’” said Mt. Ararat (1-4) coach Chad Kirk. “But as a team we can’t play it like soccer or field hockey, where you are going back and forth and just kick the ball or throw it out there. You have to do it as a team. It is the mental part for us right now.”
Scoreless as the first half clock ticked under 19 minutes, Leckie broke through the Mt. Ararat defense and fired a shot past Mt. Ararat goaltender Amanda Pickens (nine saves). The Red Riots won the ensuing draw control, and Savannah Dunbar was fouled on her way toward the Eagle goal. Dunbar scored off the free-position shot, giving South Portland two goals in 26 seconds.
The third tally was even quicker, coming 23 seconds later when Dunbar set up Molly Walker for her first of three goals and a 3-0 lead, completing a quick 49-second scoring spurt.
“Once you get a goal, you are high-fiving everyone, and we want to get another one and another. We were able to do this today,” said Leckie, who made it 4-0 with 14:29 remaining on a free-position goal.
A mere 12 seconds after, Mackenzie Farnham finished a pass from Zoe Baker, and Leckie and Beth Grannell added a goal each for a 7-0 lead with 13:34 left until halftime.
Mt. Ararat strikes
The Eagles found the back of the net for the first time with 12:21 remaining in the frame when Hannah Huston powered a free-position shot past Red Riots goaltender Maya Ellington (nine saves).
After Erin Clark scored for the visitors, Zoe McNally struck for Mt. Ararat for an 8-2 contest.
South Portland’s final scoring spree sealed the win, as Walker completed her hat trick and Leckie tallied her fourth of the half for the big Red Riot halftime edge.
Kirk gathered his team at the break, telling his squad to reset.
“The second half, we lost 4-1, and if we kept on that pace, it is an 8-3 game instead of 15-3,” said Kirk. “The second half, we played it like it was 0-0. We wanted to use the whole field, and they just had to relax and find their angles, like a math class. I am just trying to get them to buy in. It is coming. I am happy because the second half was better.
“We didn’t have the panic in the second half. In the first half, we did well, then we allow four quick goals. We just need to make it simple.”
Dyer, whose squad heads to talented Massabesic on Wednesday (6 p.m.), it is about playing consistently and as a team.
“We still have to figure out how to make it last for a whole game,” the South Portland coach said. “We are headed in the right direction. This is a fantastic team of individuals, so it is about working to get them to play together.”
Erin Harty scored for Mt. Ararat in the second half, while Leckie, Dunbar (two goals, one assist, three ground balls), Pearl Friedland-Farley and Lauren Dibiase tallied for South Portland.
Eagles defenseman Reese Turcotte had a game-high five ground balls, while Barrett Backman picked up an assist for the Red Riots.
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