At Howland on Tuesday, the PVHS Lady Howlers took to the pitch in defense of their back to back state championships with an impressive 8-0 win over Washburn in their first playoff action of the season.
With the win, PVHS punched their ticket to the Divisional Championship game, likely held on Wednesday November 5th in Presque Isle. With Class D girls only having one division of 13 teams statewide this year, there will be two Divisional Champions crowned, instead of the traditional Northern and Southern Maine Champions.
Although Penobscot Valley dominated possession early in Tuesday’s contest, it was still scoreless fifteen minutes in. Finally, senior captain Lila Cummings unleashed the floodgates of 4 PVHS goals in less than 8 minutes of play, as she took a Charlotte Brochu pass and snuck a hard shot that deflected off Washburn keeper Alexis Cronin’s fingertips and ended up past the goal line for a 1-0 lead. Cummings would strike again just 65 seconds later when she finished home a McKenna Ireland cross to double their lead. Senior captain striker Rylee Moulton got in on the action, scoring two goals of her own in a 97 second span, the first assisted by Brochu and the second by Cummings. Penobscot Valley held a 4-0 lead at the half.
Midfielder Cummings scored her astonishing 91st and 92nd career goals (to go along with her 76 assists) within 40 seconds of each other in the second half to keep the flow going. Eighth grader McKenna Ireland scored unassisted, and Moulton scored career goal number 111 to end the game by mercy rule (8-0).
Brooklynn Raymond saved all five shots she faced, as her and the PVHS defense notched their 11th shutout in 15 games this season. The Lady Howlers improved to 11-2-2, and will await the winner of Central Aroostook and Fort Fairfield as their Divisional Championship opponent. The winner of that Divisional Championship game will advance to the state title contest. Washburn finishes their season with a 6-9 record. Cronin saved 22 of 35 shots in net.
PVHS photos top to bottom courtesy of Stacey Feldmus Photography- #21 Lila Cummings, #11 Rylee Moulton, and #8 Charlotte Brochu
