PORTLAND—Portland’s young girls’ soccer team is coming of age.

At just the right time.

Monday afternoon at Boulos Stadium, the Bulldogs visited a Cheverus squad that was above them in the Heal Points standings and made their biggest statement of the year.

Portland earned a penalty kick midway through the first half and while senior Eliza Stein’s shot was saved by diving Stags’ sophomore goalkeeper Evelyn Rush, sophomore Anneliese Collin was in the right place at the right time to bang home the rebound.

The game remained 1-0 until just over 24 minutes remained, when this time, Collin facilitated a goal by senior Kate Martell.

A two-goal deficit awakened Cheverus, which got right back in the game with 19 minutes to go, as sophomore Sophia Monfa scored, but after the Stags couldn’t quite produce a tying tally, Collin put it away with 6:59 on the clock and the Bulldogs went on to a 3-1 victory.

Portland improved to 7-6 on the season and in the process, dropped Cheverus to 9-4.

“I’m really proud of (the girls),” said Bulldogs’ first-year coach Matt Bernstein. “I’m glad because I know how much work they’ve put in and how much they’ve grown and it’s nice for them to have this moment.”

Peaking

Portland started the season 1-4, but has turned things around since.

The Bulldogs began with losses to visiting Scarborough (8-1), host Marshwood (6-1) and visiting Noble (4-3) and after a 9-0 victory at Biddeford, fell at home to reigning state champion Windham (6-2), but Portland rattled off five consecutive victories: 8-2 at Westbrook, 12-0 at home over Massabesic, 2-1 at South Portland, 4-0 at home over Bonny Eagle and 3-0 at Kennebunk before losing at home to undefeated Gorham and also to Falmouth by 3-0 scores.

Cheverus, meanwhile, began with a 5-0 home victory over South Portland in the opener, then suffered a 4-2 loss at longtime nemesis Gorham. The Stags then hit their stride, beating visiting Bonny Eagle (1-0), host Noble (6-2), visiting Kennebunk (4-0), host Westbrook (13-0) and visiting Deering (3-1) before falling at home to Falmouth (2-0) and at Windham (2-1). Cheverus then returned to form by blanking visiting Marshwood (3-0), host Sanford (1-0) and host Massabesic (7-0).

A year ago, the host Stags had no trouble with the Bulldogs, 7-2.

Monday, on Cheverus’ Senior Day, the result was a different story, as with the drizzle falling, Portland led most of the way, but couldn’t fully exhale until the final horn.

Cheverus had the first shot on frame, in the third minute, but freshman Jaelyn Jensen’s bid was saved by Bulldogs’ junior goalkeeper Lucy Tidd.

After Tidd saved a bid from sophomore Annie Vigue on a corner kick, the Bulldogs got their first look, but Rush denied Collin.

Tidd then saved a shot from senior Caoilinn Durkin and at the other end, Rush broke up junior Phoebe Knoll’s foray into the box, then saved a shot from Collin and another from Stein.

Tidd then kept the game scoreless by saving bids from freshman Chloe Durkin and senior Lilly Hoyt, the visitors got a break.

With 18:28 left, a shot from Stein deflected off a Cheverus defender’s hand in the box and by rule, a penalty kick was awarded.

Stein did the honors, but she couldn’t score, as Rush dove to her right to save the shot.

But play resumes on a penalty kick when the ball remains alive and Collin soared in to finish the rebound for a 1-0 advantage with 18:20 to go.

“People forget anything can happen on a penalty kick,” Collin said. “I’m always ready for any rebound and to be where I need to be.”

Late in the half, the Stags tried to pull even, but Tidd saved a shot from sophomore Jillian Foley and and a left-footed blast from Monfa.

Cheverus had a 7-5 advantage in shots on frame in the first half, but Tidd’s seven saves kept Portland on top.

With the rain picking up in intensity, the second half was back and forth and dramatic.

Early in the half, the Stags tried to pull even, but Tidd denied Vigue and while Monfa appeared to score on the rebound, she was ruled offsides.

After Vigue sent a free kick from the top of the box just high, the Bulldogs added to their lead with 24:31 remaining.

This time, Collin would set up the goal, passing to Martell, who ripped a left-footed shot just past Rush, who dove to her right to no avail.

And then, Cheverus roared back.

With 19:10 left, the home team broke through, as Vigue crossed the ball in front and Monfa was there to finish, beating Tidd to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The Stags then had some great chances to equalize, but Vigue missed high in the box, Tidd saved a Vigue shot off a corner kick, a Vigue cross to junior Mikayla Talbot at the far post was inches too far for Talbot to reach, then Vigue got behind the defense, but Tidd saved her shot.

With 6:59 remaining, Collin gave the Bulldogs some breathing room.

This time, Martell set her up, playing a ball down the left side which Collin ran down before getting past the defense. Collin went one-on-one with Rush, then finished with a low left-footed shot to make it 3-1.

“Kate and I work together really well,” Collin said. “That goal was really big. We were back on our heels and we were tired, but that picked us up a little bit. From there, we just had to keep the ball and not let them score again.”

“(Annaliese) was incredible,” said Bernstein. “What a performance today. There’s obviously a lot of individual skill she brings to the field, her touch, pace, finishing ability, but what sets her apart for me, is that’s she a team-first player. She’s willing to make the extra run, the right pass. She communicates positively with the team. She’s a dynamic, game-changing player and a lot of players in that position think first about themselves, then about the team, but she’s the exact opposite. She’s team, team, team all the way.”

Cheverus couldn’t manage another shot and Portland closed out its 3-1 victory.

“This is a big, big confidence boost,” Collin said. “Our confidence is picking up. We’ve been pushing hard. We knew going into this game it was their senior night and if we wanted it more, we would get it. Everyone worked so hard today. From goalie to defense to offense, we all worked hard the whole time and lifted each other up.”

“Full credit to Cheverus, they pushed us the whole way,” said Bernstein, who has had quite a week, previously being named Maine’s Teacher of the Year. “The first half was very even. We got a second goal and I really admire them because they kept coming and made us work hard the rest of the way. I’m impressed with my team up 2-1, raining, cold. It’s not a fun place to be, but we rallied together. I could see that together they made the decision we weren’t going to let this one go. We were committed to leave everything we had on the field and what more can you ask for as a coach?”

Tidd stopped 11 shots.

Cheverus had a 12-7 advantage in shots on frame, got four saves from Rush and took six corner kicks to the Bulldogs’ one, but couldn’t get the job done.

“Their goalkeeper played well, but at this time of year, you have to finish your opportunities,” lamented Stags’ coach Craig Roberts. “We had 12 shots on frame and only one was not right at the goalie. Not to diminish her play, but sometimes you have to be more selective on where to put the ball. This is not a time of year where you can get away with that.

“Portland-Cheverus is always a big rivalry game. Portland came out and played hard and wanted it more for the majority of the game and they got the result they deserved. If you’d told me before the game that we’d lose in part because we weren’t locked in, I would have been surprised.”

High hopes

Both squads have quick turnarounds to wrap up the regular season Tuesday.

Cheverus (ranked fifth in the Class A South Heal Points standings at press time) closes at Biddeford.

“Even though we’re young, I think I have a team that is smart and they won’t be happy with this,” Roberts said. “I don’t know if we’ll drop far enough to not host a prelim but I’m not sure that we’ll be fifth anymore. It would be nice to have (a playoff game at home). At this point in the season with a younger team, I want to be playing, not sitting around. We need to get better and be ready for our first opponent in the playoffs.”

Portland (currently ninth in Class A South) is at Thornton Academy Tuesday, then will look to make some noise in the postseason.

“We’ll come in as underdogs like always,” Collin said. “We hope to surprise some teams.”

“This is a great game to build on,” Bernstein said. “I already knew this, but they learned today that when they step between the lines they can compete with anyone. Whoever we play in the playoffs will give us a huge challenge. For the girls to see that they worked and scrapped today and that they took a punch and kept going, I think that is going to be really huge for us.”

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.

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