At Central Tuesday, Penobscot Valley continued their unbeaten season by topping the Red Devils 3-0 in girls soccer action.
On the same field where the two teams played a double overtime game a year ago, the first half was back and forth. Central appeared to control possession and have the pace of the game early, and had the better looks on attacks. PVHS weathered the storm however and played solid defense against a team that averaged over three goals per game this season. Led by defenders Allie LeBlanc, Emma Potter, Mia Neal, Lauren Veino, Eve McNally, and goalie Brooklynn Raymond, the Lady Howlers really made Central work hard for any good attempts on net.
The score remained 0-0 with under two minutes to go in the first half, when Penobscot Valley got their first corner kick of the game. Emma Potter sent a high-flying ball toward the back side of the goalie box, where Ashlyn St. Cyr was the first to touch it. A deflection off a defender sent the ball right back to her foot, where she quickly put it into the lower right side of the net for the 1-0 lead which is the way it remained at halftime.
In the second half, PVHS got another great opportunity on a hustle-play. Ellie Austin layed out a beautiful through-ball up the left flank to Rylee Moulton. Speedy center-back Emma Byers was able to get the first touch on the ball, but Moulton quickly recovered and was able to push it forward. After a quick move past another defender, she found herself one on one with the goalie where she finished her shot under the outstretched leg of keeper Sydney Gray. Lila Cummings showed some hustle of her own setting up the third and final goal. After cutting past a defender, the ball went a bit too far ahead as another Central player lined up the kick. Cummings slid forward quickly and aggressively enough to deflect the ball forward to Moulton. Moulton once again found herself alone with the outcoming goalie, and although the sliding Gray was able to get a piece of the ball it ended up in the back of the net. That goal resulted in the team leading 23rd of the season for Moulton, and the team leading 15th assist for Cummings.
Penobscot Valley now sits at 10-0 on the year, and is currently in second place in Class D North. Freshman Brooklyn Raymond registered her 5th shutout of the season in her first year ever as goalie, and stopped 9 of 14 shots. The Lady Howlers will host Narraguagus on Friday night under the lights at Dave Lovett Memorial Field in Howland, where they’ll honor their 12th grade girls on Senior Night.
Central remains in 3rd place in Class C North, and drops to 6-4-1 on the season. Sydney Gray had another impressive game in net, saving 9 of 20 shots for the Red Devils who will visit first-place Bucksport on Friday.
Lauren Veino dribbles the ball up the field during a game earlier this season. Photo courtesy of Feldmus Photography
