At Husson University in Bangor on Thursday, sophomore Lila Cummings scored two goals to help the Penobscot Valley girls soccer team advance to the Class D Northern Maine Championship for the third straight year by beating Central Aroostook 2-0.
After being on their heels for a majority of the first ten minutes of the game, the Lady Howlers finally seemed to settle in. With about 23 minutes left before the half, Cummings sent a throw-in to Ellie Austin inside the 18 yard line. Austin trapped and sent a drop pass back to Cummings, who lifted a right-footed chip toward the goalie box. A Central Aroostook defender tried to head the ball out, but it ended up skimming over the goalkeeper Charlie Pierce and into the side of the net for a 1-0 lead. That lead would hold until halftime.
In the second half, neither team seemed to get much momentum early, as the ball was played primarily up and down the sidelines. An attack on the right side by Austin set up the final score of the day. After a cutback on the right side of the field got her some separation from her defender, she sent a flat pass across the 18 to Cummings. Cummings touched the ball to her right foot, where she blasted a shot top-shelf above the hands of the goalie.
From there, the Howlers lock-down defense did the rest. In the second half, Penobscot Valley held Central Aroostook to just three shots on goal. Goalkeeper Brooklynn Raymond and defenders Allie LeBlanc, Emma Potter, Mia Neal, Eve McNally, and Lauren Veino helped notch the eighth straight shutout.
PVHS improved to 16-0 on the season with the win, and will be the visiting team vs Wisdom on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. at Pottle Field in Hermon. The Howlers are 1-1 in those past two regional championship games falling to the Pioneers in 2021 by a 3-0 score, and defeating Ashland 1-0 a year ago.
Raymond turned away 8 of 11 shots for the Lady Howlers, while Pierce also faced 11 shots saving 7 of them for the Lady Panthers. Central Aroostook concludes their season with a 10-4-1 record.
Posted and edited by Chris Lessner/Info provided by Jeremy Durost
(Top) PVHS celebrates the game winning first half goal by Lila Cummings during their girls soccer semifinal game vs Central Aroostook on Thursday in Bangor. (Bottom) Howlers goalie Brooklynn Raymond kicks one away during the Lady Howlers 2-0 win over the Lady Panthers for their eighth straight shutout. Photos are courtesy of Feldmus Photography
