In the 36 games over the past two full seasons, there have been only three instances where the Penobscot Valley girls soccer team has allowed more than 1 goal in a game. Houlton was able to accomplish this feat against keeper Brooklynn Raymond and the Lady Howler defense, but in the end their own offensive firepower was enough to secure the 4-2 victory for PVHS.
Lila Cummings started the scoring just six minutes into the contest, when she received the ball near the edge of the 18 yard line, dribbled laterally, and blasted a shot over goalkeeper Gwen Ramsay. Penobscot Valley would get a second goal when Charlotte Brochu took a pass up the wing from Lauren Veino. The shot by Brochu deflected off a retreating Houlton defender and past the replacement keeper Keitonya Skepple making it 2-0.
The Lady Shires would respond just over a minute later, as midfielder Reagan Wright sent a ball upfield from the center circle to speedy striker Mylee Sylvia. Sylvia dribbled at a difficult angle with a defender closing in on her, but managed to send a beautiful lofting chip shot over Raymond from the right side. PVHS didn’t panic, and minutes later Brochu won the ball in the center of the field and passed it straight up for striker Rylee Moulton. Moulton went one on one with Skepple and did what she does best, finding the back of the net for the 90th time in her career. Five minutes before halftime, Houlton closed within one again, as Sylvia finished off a Alison Fagnant assist making the score 3-2.
The only score in the second half started with a Cummings possession near midfield. She sent a nice through ball up the right flank to Moulton, who took one dribble and drilled a shot from the edge of the 18 that went over the hands of Skepple and into the backside of the net.
Raymond saved 8 of 13 shots for the 2-0 Lady Howlers, while Ramsay and Skepple combined to save 29 shots on 35 attempts for 2-2 Houlton. PVHS travels to Central Aroostook next Tuesday, while the Lady Shires host Mattanawcook Academy Thursday.
