BRUNSWICK

As a freshman on the young Mt. Ararat High School boys soccer team in 2015, Travis Nadeau searched for consistency on the pitch. The Eagles struggled, despite Nadeau finding the back of the net a handful of times.

This year, the now sophomore is leading the way, including netting two goals as Mt. Ararat escaped with a 2-1 Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference win over rival Brunswick on Tuesday in double overtime.

Nadeau, who now has 17 goals, stepped past two Brunswick defenders before sending a left-footed shot to the right post past the outstretched hands of Dragons goaltender Josh Dorr for the game-winning goal 1:15 into the second five-minute extra period.

“That was the best feeling in the world,” said Nadeau of his winning tally. “I saw that little bit of open space and took that touch to my right and I was able to put it into the net. We didn’t play our best, but this gives us points and a lot of confidence.”

Earlier in the game, Nadeau turned a scoreless first half into a 1-0 Eagles lead when he connected for a goal from 25-yards out, using his left foot to send a shot past the dive of Dorr.

“This is a huge win. Playing Brunswick, they are just so well-coached, a great team,” said Mt. Ararat coach Jack Rioux, whose 10-2 Eagles host Camden Hills on Friday at 6:30 p.m. “When Travis gets faced up, he is tough to stop, and that left foot, you either got it or you don’t.”

For the Dragons, it was another could have, should have game. At times, Brunswick carried the play, especially in the first half when the Dragons outshot the Eagles, 7-6. In one sequence, Brunswick’s Christian Glover controlled the ball, fired a shot off of Mt. Ararat goaltender Gavin Patterson’s hands, collected the rebound and had his shot toward a wide-open cage somehow strike Eagles defender Cole Guerin in the back.

“We played lights out in the second half up at Edward Little on Friday, and we wanted to come here today and do the same thing in the first half and we did,” said Brunswick coach Mark Roma. “It is a cruel game. But, I give these kids all the credit in the world. They have every reason in the world to pack it in, but they don’t. That is all on them.”

“Brunswick’s record doesn’t do them justice,” added Rioux. “When they get into the playoffs, no one will want to play them. Brunswick pushed us to the limits today. They could have won that game easily.”

Nadeau scores

Both teams went end to end in the first half, with shots either finding the hands of Dorr or Patterson (four saves each) or sailing wide of the target. Brunswick had a solid chance when Kian Murray’s free kick glanced off Patterson’s hands and landed inches wide of the net for a corner kick.

On the other side, Mt. Ararat’s Jimmy Pelletier launched a shot that had Dorr diving to his right for a stop.

The game seemed destined for a scoreless opening frame until Nadeau gathered a loose ball, turned left, set his feet and sent a rising shot to the far post with 1:58 remaining until halftime.

“They had a great shot and hats off to their kid,” said Roma of Nadeau’s first-half goal.

Mt. Ararat began the second half by pressing for an insurance goal, with Kyle Brown, Nadeau and James Hutchinson earning solid chances.

But, it was the Dragons who scored the tying goal. Glover gathered a long pass, turned on two defenders and skillfully dribbled through traffic. His hard, low shot was stopped by the dive of Patterson, but Carlyle Boyle was Johnny on the spot, sending the rebound into the vacated cage.

“I was reacting to the goal, and Christian set that up with his great dribbling, great move, and we just wanted to get the rebounds and we did there,” said Boyle of his goal with 25:49 remaining in regulation. “We have been frustrated. We felt like we had played great, and we know that we’re a great team. We just can’t get the shots to fall. But, we’re not going to let teams push around, and though the scoreboard may not be showing it, we feel that we are the best team every time we step on the pitch.”

Patterson turned away Glover with 10:45 remaining, and Mt. Ararat’s Nick Merrill nearly ended the game with a late header that just bounded wide of the target.

In the first overtime, Boyle had a golden chance when he headed a pass from Glover high of Patterson’s cage.

Just like in the teams first meeting, a 1-0 Mt. Ararat overtime victory in Topsham Sept. 13, the Eagles found the winning tally as Nadeau ended the contest.

For Roma, his squad will look to bounce back in its final two regular season contests — home matches with Cony (Thursday) and Skowhegan (Monday).

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and we are about the strongest team in the state,” said Roma. “I still believe that there is no one in this conference that scares me, and on any given day I will put my 11 against any 11 in the KVAC.”

Mt. Ararat finished with a 21-15 shot advantage and a 5- 3 edge in corner kicks. Dorr had nine stops for the Dragons, while Patterson turned away eight Brunswick chances on net.

Mt. Ararat 2, Brunswick 1 (2 OT)

Mt.	Ararat	—	1	0	1	—	2
Brunswick		—	0	1	0	—	1

Goals — (MtA) Travis Nadeau 2; (B) Carlyle Boyle. Assist — (B) Christian Glover. Shots — Mt. Ararat 21, Brunswick 15. Saves — (MtA) Gavin Patterson 8; (B) Josh Dorr 9. Corner kicks — Mt. Ararat 5, Brunswick 3. Records — Mt. Ararat 10-2; Brunswick 3-6-3. Up next for the Eagles — Friday at home against Camden Hills, 6:30 p.m. Up next for the Dragons — Thursday at home against Cony, 6 p.m.