FALMOUTH — Eva Clement has known nothing but playing in state finals during her high school career and thanks to the biggest goal of her life, she’ll get to do it one more time.
Clement’s goal 41 seconds into overtime gave Falmouth a 13-12 win over Windham in the Class A North girls’ lacrosse final Tuesday afternoon.
The Eagles erased a four-goal, second-half deficit to force overtime, but Clement gave Falmouth a win and a showdown with Kennebunk (15-0) in the Class A state final at 6 p.m. Friday at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland.
“It feels awesome,” said Clement. “All season we’ve dug deep and I think it came down to our grit.”
Windham (12-3), thanks to dominance in the draw circle from Sidney McCusker, controlled possession much of the game and led early, 2-0 and 3-1, but Clement’s first goal broke a tie and Whitney Adams’ third goal of the half gave Falmouth (12-3) a 7-6 advantage at the break.
Sloane Ginevan (two goals, three assists), Lucy Taylor and Abby Blakeman opened the second half with goals to seemingly send Falmouth on its way, but the Eagles roared back behind a pair of goals from Emma Yale.
Falmouth still led 12-10 after Adams’ fifth goal, but Molly Black cut it to one with 7:45 to play and Riley Hennessy scored in transition with 6:39 remaining to tie it.
“This is a special group,” said Windham Coach Matt Perkins. “They battle to the end and believe in each other. We started taking advantage and really worked.”
Neither team scored late in regulation, setting up a sudden-victory overtime.
In OT, Clement won a rare draw for Falmouth and after Ginevan was unable to drive on the defense, Ginevan found Clement wide open in front and Clement scored to win it.
“Originally, we wanted Sloane to drive, then I went in for the second cut and I was open and she saw me immediately,” Clement said. “I didn’t even think. It was all instinct. I was ecstatic when the ball went in.”
Falmouth lost 17-11 at home to Kennebunk on May 25, but hopes to beat the Rams as it did in the 2019 state final.
“We have to put together a full 50 minutes,” said Falmouth Coach Ashley Pullen. “We can’t be individual players. We have to work together.”
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