CUMBERLAND—Greely field hockey coach Burgess LePage told her team prior to Monday’s home contest against Cape Elizabeth that the Rangers’ season would be defined by the next 60 minutes.

As it turned out, Greely got a defining victory, but it needed slightly more time than expected to make it happen.

Chances were limited throughout regulation, but with 6:17 to go in the first of a possible two eight-minute, “sudden victory” overtime session, sophomore Helen Zimmerman played the hero, finishing a feed from classmate Evelyn Stewart to give the Rangers’ a 1-0 win.

Greely snapped a four-game skid, improved to 3-5 and in the process, dropped the Capers to 0-6.

“This is a defining game for us this season,” Zimmerman said. “We needed to come out strong and get a good win.”

Building blocks

Both teams entered the contest eager for a victory.

The Capers, under first-year coach Michelle Lemelin, have been competitive throughout but haven’t had anything to show for it in the win column. Cape Elizabeth lost to visiting Fryeburg Academy (2-0), St. Dom’s (4-1) and the Gray-New Gloucester/North Yarmouth Academy co-op team (2-0) before falling at York (2-0) and at Lake Region (4-1).

The Rangers began the 2024 campaign with a 4-0 loss at St. Dom’s, then bounced back to edge host Lake Region in double-overtime (2-1) before blanking visiting Wells (5-0). Greely’s skid began with a 2-1 home loss to powerhouse Yarmouth, then the Rangers fell at reigning Class B champion Freeport (2-0), at home to York in an overtime thriller (2-1) and at Fryeburg Academy (1-0).

A year ago, the teams split, both prevailing at home (Cape Elizabeth by a 4-2 score and Greely by a 1-0 margin).

Monday, on beautiful final day of September (73 degrees under sunny skies), the Capers were oh-so-close to prevailing for the first time, but instead, it would be the Rangers coming through when it mattered most.

Cape Elizabeth junior Vivian Schultzel and Greely sophomore Helen Zimmerman fight for possession early in Monday’s contest. Zimmerman eventually scored the lone goal in the Rangers’ 1-0 overtime victory. Hoffer photos.

The Capers managed the only shot of the first quarter, a long bid which Greely senior goalie Mya Vickerson kicked out of harm’s way.

The Rangers then tilted the field in the second period, but couldn’t score, as Cape Elizabeth junior Vivian Schultzel broke up a rush by Zimmerman, Capers’ junior goalie Lulu Stoecklein saved a shot from sophomore Amelia Cassidy, Zimmerman missed just wide on a penalty corner, then Stoecklein denied Stewart’s shot before saving a rebound bid from Zimmerman. Late in the first half, Cape Elizabeth earned a corner, but it was broken up by Greely senior back Anna Mancini.

Frustrations continued for both offenses in the second half.

Greely sophomore Maya Tracey and Cape Elizabeth sophomore Wylie Stoecklein battle for the ball as Rangers sophomore Evelyn Stewart looks on.

The Capers got the first chance of the third quarter, but senior captain Clio Cook-Sharp missed just wide.

After Stoecklein denied Zimmerman on a shot off a corner, senior Rin Desmond took a shot for Greely as time wound down, but missed just wide.

Early in the fourth period, Vickerson kicked away a loose ball as two Cape Elizabeth forwards approached.

With 6:55 left in regulation, Cook-Sharp set up sophomore Olive Blouin for a good look off a corner, but it deflected wide.

With 40 seconds to play, the Rangers earned a corner and while they weren’t able to muster a shot, they earned another corner and by rule, once the clock expired, Greely got to play it out, but the Capers cleared the ball from the circle.

That sent the game to overtime.

The Rangers’ third OT game of the season.

“The message going into overtime was that we have a deep bench and if someone gets tired, someone else was ready and willing,” LePage said.

The game-winner would come suddenly, as Cape Elizabeth tried to transition the ball out of its zone, but Tracey pounced on it, passed to Stewart, then Stewart passed to Zimmerman, who turned and shot the ball between Stoecklein’s pads and in to win it, 1-0, with 6:17 left in OT.

“Mya told me to keep taking shots on goal, which is something I don’t typically do,” Zimmerman said. “When I got in there, I just slammed the ball in and it went through her legs. I thought I hit it well, but I thought it was going wide of the post. I was so excited. I threw my stick down and gave Evelyn a hug. It’s my first goal this season.”

“I saw quick moves, heard us talking to each other and we executed what we practice,” said LePage. “What I love about the end is you could see the connection for the first time in awhile how our forwards play with each other. We’re trying to regain that.”

And Greely’s celebration began.

Sophomore Natalie Grenier raises her arms in triumph while her teammates mob sophomore Helen Zimmerman after Zimmerman’s goal ends the game in overtime.

“It was very frustrating to not score in regulation, but we were confident going into overtime,” Zimmerman said. “I don’t think last week’s game (against York) was a good representation of who we are in overtime. We usually do really well. Today showed how great we can be in overtime.”

“It feels very good for our confidence,” LePage said. “Today was about finishing and making sure the score reflected what we put out there. We still need to do it earlier.”

Greely out-shot Cape Elizabeth, 7-3, got three saves from Vickerson and had four penalty corners.

The Capers, who also took four corners and got six saves from Stoecklein, but weren’t able to break into the win column.

“This was honestly our best game,” Lemelin said. “We really connected and had a lot of possession. I really felt like we were winning, but it slipped by us.

“I think since the start of preseason to now, we’ve made great strides. It just hasn’t come out as a ‘W’ yet. We just need more experience and time on the field.”

Staying optimistic

Cape Elizabeth is right back in action Tuesday, at Poland. After visiting Leavitt in a makeup game Friday, the Capers come home to battle Yarmouth Monday of next week.

“We’re trying to adjust and get better,” Lemelin said. “It’s gone by so fast. We only have a couple weeks left and there’s still so much to do. We want to finish strong and find a way to get in the playoffs. We have two more games this week. We’re hoping to get a win.”

Greely stays home face Lake Region Friday, then welcomes Freeport Wednesday of next week.

“We need to keep coming out strong, getting back on defense, getting our sticks down and getting shots off right when we get into the circle,” Zimmerman said. “We just need to continue to start off strong.”

“We know we can defend well, but we have to connect as we move out of our end,” LePage said. “Lake Region will be intense and we’ll have to be ready. We need some wins. We need to work on strengthening our communication and connection and having confidence that when we get the ball on offense, we’ll keep it there. This gives us confidence and we need to have that confidence at every juncture so we don’t rest on any laurels. What matters from here on out is the scoreboard.”

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