Avia Russo of Lisbon, right, and Larkin Kern of NYA/Waynflete go for the ball during a Class C South quarterfinal field hockey game Thursday in Yarmouth. Eli Canfield/The Times Record
YARMOUTH — As halftime was approaching during Thursday’s Class C South quarterfinal field hockey game between No. 3 North Yarmouth Academy/Waynflete and No. 6 Lisbon, the Flying Panthers looked as though they’d enter the half with a one-goal lead.
Then, Lisbon was awarded a corner penalty as the clock struck zero. After the first corner turned into a second, Laura Mockler found the back of the cage to knot things at 1. More importantly, it gave Lisbon all the momentum it needed heading into the second half.
Behind five goals from four different players in a 10-minute span to end the third quarter, the Greyhounds stunned the Flying Panthers en route to a 6-1 victory to reach this weekend’s Class C South semifinal round.
Lisbon celebrates after scoring a goal in the third quarter against North Yarmouth Academy during a Class C South quarterfinal field hockey game Thursday in Yarmouth. Eli Canfield/The Times Record
“To be honest, the third quarter has been our problem all season,” said Lisbon (6-8-1) coach Julie Petrie. “I told them at halftime to make it our best third quarter of the season, and they just blew my expectations out of the water.”
Amelia Mooney (2), Kayla Cooper, Haley Tuplin, and Mockler all scored goals in the third quarter. Tuplin added two assists and Cooper had one. The Greyhounds will take on the winner of No. 2 St. Dominic and No. 10 Telstar in the next round.
“I think the excitement from getting a goal really gives us momentum at all times, but especially today,” said Mooney, a senior. “Our performance today gives me the confidence that this team has what it takes to make a run this year.”
NYA/Waynflete (10-5-0) broke through first in the first quarter when freshman Mary Tod took a pass in the circle from Joley Kassel and flicked it past Lisbon goalie Maria Levesque (four saves).
Scoring chances would come few and far between for NYA/Waynflete afterward.
“I think that first goal (by Lisbon) set a tone,” said NYA/Waynflete coach Anikka King. “They came out of the half ready to play, and it showed on the scoreboard.”
The Greyhounds dominated possession for much of the day. They outshot the Flying Panthers 15-5 and were awarded 14 corners to NYA/Waynflete’s three. All three of their corners came in the first half.
Lisbon head coach Julie Petrie, bottom left, kneels down while talking to her team after the first quarter against North Yarmouth Academy during a Class C South quarterfinal field hockey game Thursday in Yarmouth. Eli Canfield/The Times Record
“It was tough to overcome once they (Lisbon) started rolling in the third,” said King. “It’s a tough ending, but we had a great season and should be holding our heads high.”
Cooper scored the first goal in the third quarter with 10:22 remaining after Lisbon was awarded a corner. Just two minutes later, Mooney deflected home a hard pass from Tuplin to make it 3-1.
“We were firing on all cylinders, I thought our passing was amazing in the third,” said Mooney. “When we’re confident we play our best, so that’s what we did.”
Mooney scored her second goal with just over five minutes remaining after Flying Panthers goalie Elliana Howerton-Lynch (nine saves) made a series of stops. Mockler and Tuplin scored just 40 seconds apart in the final minute of the quarter to put the game out of reach.
“This is so big for our program to advance to the next round,” said Petrie. “I’m so proud of them. It feels good to go on the road in the postseason and defeat a team like NYA/Waynflete.”
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