BIDDEFORD — Caitlin Tremberth, the field hockey coach at Biddeford High, sensed Wednesday’s game was going to end quickly, maybe unexpectedly. And it did.
Junior Cece Keller scored on a reverse hit chip with 10 seconds remaining in overtime to lift the third-seeded Tigers to a 3-2 victory over sixth-seeded Gorham in a Class A South quarterfinal at Waterhouse Field.
It was Keller’s 30th goal of the season and sent Biddeford into the regional semifinals against No. 2 Scarborough.
“We just knew that there were two good teams on the field,” said Tremberth. “And it was going to come down to a quick something, a spur-of-the-moment goal.”
Biddeford (14-2) has won 13 straight. Gorham (10-5) lost in overtime to the Tigers for the second time this season – the other on Sept. 30.
The Rams controlled the tempo. They were more aggressive to the ball, had several quality opportunities, and kept Biddeford in check.
But in overtime, when teams play seven-on-seven, it’s important to keep the ball out of the defensive end. And the Tigers kept the ball in the Gorham zone for the final 2:30 of overtime.
As time was winding down in the eight-minute sudden-death overtime, Kiki Jackson pushed the ball into the circle, where Keller gathered it in. She tapped the ball to the left side of the circle and then unleashed a reverse chip that sailed back into the far corner.
“I’m going to be honest, I don’t remember it that much,” said Keller, who assisted on the other two Biddeford goals. “It was a very intense and very amazing game. (Gorham) played so amazing. When I got it, I didn’t think about it. I just shot it.
“I was a little shocked (it went in). I’ve been working on it for such a long time. To get it in a quarterfinal overtime goal was just amazing.”
Gorham Coach Rebecca Manson-Rioux said it was great shot – “Reverse chip shot, it’s hard to defend,” she said – but was proud of how her team played.
“Really good effort,” she said. “The girls did everything we worked on. They came back, they tied it up. They did not stop, they did not let down.”
Biddeford’s Ayla Lagasse scored 3:06 into the game. The Rams tied it with 2:07 left in the first half on Brooke Farquhar’s goal. Then Biddeford regained the lead with 3:01 left in the third when Jayme Walton tipped in a Keller shot. Gorham tied it once more on a goal by Alyvia Caruso, assisted by Farquhar, with 10:29 left in the fourth.
The Tigers haven’t lost since Sept. 11, a 2-0 decision to Scarborough, their second loss in a row.
“I think after that loss, we went to practice and decided the team that lost those games (to Cheverus and Scarborough), we weren’t that team,” said Biddeford senior Jill McSorley. “And we were going to work the rest of the season to show the team we can be. We’re ready now.”
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