CAPE ELIZABETH—Good teams don’t dwell on losses.

Instead, they learn from them, adjust and get back to their winning ways.

Thursday evening at Hannaford Field, Greely’s girls’ lacrosse squad, the two-time reigning Class B champions, coming off a setback Tuesday at Falmouth, had to play at rival Cape Elizabeth, amid less-than-ideal conditions, but the Rangers returned to form, thanks in large part to one big offensive quarter and a solid game-long defensive effort.

Greely fell behind by a goal early, but drew even on a tally from senior standout Asja Kelman.

Then, in the second period, senior standout Eva Williams took over, scoring four times and the Rangers held a 5-1 advantage at the half.

The Capers got a goal back in the third quarter, but Greely’s defense slammed the door from there and Kelman put it away with two fourth period goals as the Rangers rolled to a 7-2 victory.

Williams scored four times, Kelman added three goals and Greely allowed only four shots on cage in 48 minutes as it improved to 5-2 and in the process, dropped Cape Elizabeth to 2-4.

“This was good after Falmouth,” said Rangers coach Becca Koelker. “I felt like we finally put a full game together, so that was good to see. We’ve been up in games before and weren’t able to close it out.”

Taking care of business

Both teams have shown glimpses of greatness so far this season.

After opening with a 15-4 home loss to three-time reigning Class A champion Kennebunk, Greely eked out an 8-7 overtime win at defending Class C champion Freeport, then held off host Marshwood (11-9), visiting York (6-5) and visiting Waynflete (10-8) before losing at Falmouth Tuesday, 10-3.

“We learned a lot against Falmouth about lacrosse IQ,” Williams said. “You can’t get better unless you play teams like them. We’re a young team, but there’s a lot of hustle and grit.”

“Falmouth was frustrating, but we took a lot away from that game,” said Koelker.

Cape Elizabeth, meanwhile, started with a 12-4 win at North Yarmouth Academy, then lost at home to Gorham in overtime (13-12), at Kennebunk (14-3) and at home to Yarmouth (15-10) before getting back on track Tuesday with a 13-7 home victory over Marshwood.

Last spring, title-bound Greely handled the visiting Capers, 13-5.

Thursday, with conditions varying from mist to steady rain, Cape Elizabeth looked to beat the Rangers for the first time since 10-4 victory in the 2019 Class B state semifinals, but instead, Greely made it four in a row over its rival.

The Capers got off to a great start, as freshman Wylie Stoecklein set up junior Campbell DeGeorge for a goal just 77 seconds in, but that turned out to be the home team’s lone shot of the first half.

The Rangers, who normally play on grass, struggled with ground balls on Cape Elizabeth’s turf much of the first half, but eventually settled in and looked for the equalizer.

After Capers junior goalie Belle Reeves denied Kelman and junior Kylie Lord missed wide, Kelman scored unassisted with 3:12 on the clock to tie the score.

Junior Jane Flynn hoped to put Greely on top in the final minute of the first quarter, but Reeves made the save to keep the game deadlocked.

Reeves then sat out the second quarter and was replaced by freshman Ellie Royer.

The Rangers flipped the switch in the frame and thanks to Williams’ brilliance, took control of the game.

With 9:22 to go in the first half, Williams fought through the defense and finished to put her team in front for good.

After Kelman hit the post, Williams scored another unassisted goal with 7:29 left to make it 3-1.

“I was around the crease and I saw defenders go to the other side too quickly and how could I not take advantage of that?” Williams said.

After Williams hit the post, she scored again with 1:11 remaining, off a feed from Kelman.

“It just took little while then we got our legs underneath us and moved the ball better,” Koelker said. “We talked about the way we wanted to move the ball and it worked for us (in the second quarter).”

Then, with just 9.7 seconds showing, Williams scored unassisted again and Greely took a 5-1 advantage to the half.

After managing just one first half shot, Cape Elizabeth generated some chances in the third period.

Senior Kaity Woods took a shot in the second minute of the second half, but sent it high.

Kelman then hit the post and Reeves, who returned for the third quarter, twice denied Lord.

With 2:13 left in the frame, Woods took a pass from junior Heather Campbell and beat Rangers junior goalie Mya Vickerson to end a 32 minute, 30 second scoring drought.

The Capers then had a great chance to grab momentum when junior Libby Hooper pounced on a turnover, but she was denied point blank by Vickerson with 10 seconds remaining and Greely was still up by three heading to the final stanza.

Where the Rangers ended any lingering doubt.

After Reeves kept hope alive by denying shots from sophomore Kelsey Crocker and Williams, then stopping a free position bid from Kelman, Greely went up by four with 6:57 on the clock, as Williams fed Kelman in front for a goal to snap a 17:12 drought.

DeGeorge tried to cut into the deficit, but she first hit the post, then was denied by Vickerson.

With 1:55 left, Kelman delivered the coup-de-grace, from sophomore Audrey Ingersoll, and the Rangers went on to a 7-2 victory.

“Intensity and drive from the team changed,” Williams said. “We saw what we were capable of. We talk about little things in practice. Even in bad weather like this, we had to take care of small things.”

The Rangers got four goals and an assist from Williams, three goals and one assist from Kelman and an assist from Ingersoll.

Vickerson made just two saves, but they were timely, and Greely’s defense completely held the potent Capers in check.

“I think our defensive unit is just so strong,” Williams said. “It’s just grit and communication. Mya has been absolutely amazing. She has big shoes to fill and she’s stepped up.”

“I felt like our defense showed up big today,” said Koelker. “We lost our confidence at Falmouth a little bit, but tonight, they made it look like no one was open in the middle and that’s their job.”

Greely had a 7-6 edge on draws, picked up 32 ground balls to Cape Elizabeth’s 20 (Kelman had a game-high nine), enjoyed a 20-6 shots advantage (14-4 on cage) and overcame 18 turnovers.

The Capers got one goal apiece from DeGeorge and Woods and one assist each from Campbell and Stoecklein.

Hooper had a team-high eight ground balls.

Reeves stopped seven shots.

Cape Elizabeth committed 19 turnovers.

“When we get the ball on our stick, we do great things, but when we don’t get that bounce on the circle, you can’t win if you don’t have the ball,” said Capers coach Alex Spark. “We had possessions and moved the ball well and had shots on cage, but they had a couple good saves. We talked about wiping the first two quarters out of our mind and we did awesome in the third and fourth quarters.”

Second half

Cape Elizabeth goes to Thornton Academy Saturday and Massabesic Tuesday, then returns home Thursday of next week to face York.

“We’ve talked all season about staying mentally tough, win or lose,” Spark said. “I think that will come in handy come postseason. We’ve had tough games where we haven’t come out on top, but we learned something and got better.”

Greely is back home Saturday to meet Fryeburg Academy, then returns to the gauntlet next week with a trip to Messalonskee Tuesday and a home showdown versus Yarmouth Friday.

“I think we’re coming along,” Williams said. “It’s good to see what the top competition looks like. I have big goals for us and I think the team has big goals and I want to see it happen.”

“We’re getting there,” said Koelker. “Every game is a little better. Our job is to be our best by the end of the season. Our goal is to compete with the best teams in the state. We know what we have to do. Now we just have to do that every day.”

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.

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