SCARBOROUGH – Once again, the Scarborough girls’ soccer team is showing that it knows what to do come playoff time.

Delia Fravert scored two goals while Abby Roberts and Josie Duncan added tallies, keeper Sophia Rinaldi made a crucial stop on a penalty kick, and No. 2 Scarborough defeated No. 3 Gorham, 4-2, on Friday in the Class A South semifinals.

The two-time defending state champion Red Storm (13-1-2) won their seventh straight game after a 2-1 loss to Falmouth. Sarah Rosingana and Logan Doughty scored for Gorham, which finished 12-3-1.

“Going into the season, a lot of people kind of underestimated us,” said Fravert, a senior. “And ever since the Falmouth game, we’ve kind of just had this fire. We really wanted it. Tonight, we didn’t want this to be our last game.”

The Red Storm used speed to their advantage throughout the night, pulling away from defenders to win races to balls leading to three of the goals.

“That was the difference in the game, just us anticipating a little quicker and then getting to a ball a little bit faster,” Scarborough Coach Mike Farley said. “That’s what separates it. Gorham’s got a lot of fast players. It’s about reading the play that’s going on and getting that first step there.”

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The Rams didn’t quit, as a team that lost 4-0 to Scarborough 10 days earlier was more ready and resilient this time around. Gorham struck after Scarborough took the first lead to even the game at 1, and fought back from a 3-1 deficit to narrow the gap to a goal and pressured late looking for the equalizer.

“We’ve had some adversity, but played through it and done the best we can with what we’ve had to work with this year,” Coach Jeanne Zarrilli said. “I’m proud of our effort.”

For all the goals scored, it was a save that represented a huge moment in the game. Goals by Fravert and Duncan in the 41st and 46th minutes, respectively, broke a 1-1 tie and put the Red Storm up two goals, but the Rams got a chance to respond less than two minutes later with a penalty kick with 33:28 to play.

Ashley Connolly booted a shot towards the left post, but Rinaldi made a diving save to keep the ball out – a stop that loomed large when Doughty made it 3-2 off an assist from Connolly with 15:46 left.

“I was going to dive to the left, and then I saw her foot going to the right. … At the last minute, I jerked to the right,” said Rinaldi, who made seven saves. “I just got right back up, she shot it right out, and I think celebrating with the team is the best feeling ever.”

Zarrilli praised Rinaldi for the stop, and for her performance.

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“She’s a world-class goalie,” she said. “She’s tough to score on.”

Scarborough gave her plenty of goals to work with. In the first half, Roberts won a footrace to a ball played up by Emmie Flaker, then went in alone and scored with 15:14 left. Rosingana pulled Gorham even with 6:34 left in the half when she scored off of a deflected shot by Piper Forgues, but the Red Storm went ahead again after halftime when Fravert outraced a defender to a ball with 39:13 to go, and went up two goals when Duncan, a freshman, scored on a free kick with 34:01 remaining.

Duncan’s goal was remarkable, as the freshman fired a shot from 40 yards out that hit the fingertips of Gorham keeper Lydia Spear (seven saves), but had enough zip to bounce off and continue over the line.

“She hits the ball, and it’s traveling. If it goes on net, I feel bad for the goalkeeper there because it’s going to bust your hands,” said Farley, who got a clinching goal from Fravert with 46.1 seconds left. “In 20 years, I’ve never had a freshman I would dare put in the back. … She’s really changed the game for us.”

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