Abbot’s goal lifts Orono past Hermon

ORONO – Orono High School senior midfielder Sherry Abbott admits she has not been as productive, in terms of goals, as she had hoped.

But she picked a perfect time to score her second goal of the season.

Abbott put a picture-perfect direct free kick into the right corner of the net just 7:09 into the first half and sophomore sweeper Andrea Pearce anchored a strong Riot defense that made Abbott’s goal stand up as Orono beat Hermon 1-0 in their Eastern Maine Class B playoff quarterfinal here Saturday.

Second-seeded Orono, now 9-3-3, will entertain No. 3 Camden-Rockport, 8-5-2, in a Tuesday semifinal. The time has yet to be decided. Hermon wound up 6-8-1.

A tripping foul gave Abbott and the Riots their direct free kick seven yards outside the penalty area to the left of Hawk goalie Michelle Blackmore.

“The whole right side of the net was wide open,” said Abbott, whose curling shot cleanly beat Blackmore to the far side.

Even though a hip injury and illness has limited Abbott’s goal output this season, Orono Coach Cid Dyjak said Abbott scored several goals last year and is dangerous on free kicks.

“She can put a bend on the ball and she’s very accurate,” said Dyjak. “Goalies have made some great saves off her this year.”

Ironically, Abbott’s only other goal, also off a direct kick, enabled the Riots to tie Hermon 1-1 earlier on Oct. 1.

There was little to choose between the two teams as each had periods of territorial dominance.

Hermon outshot Orono 14-11 and had eight corner kicks to Orono’s two.

Goalies Marcia Therrien (5th shutout) of Orono and Blackmore each finished with 5 saves.

The Hawks applied a lot of pressure in the second half as they pressed for the equalizer but the speedy Pearce was superb and her fellow fullbacks also defended well.

“Andrea’s a great player,” said Dyjak. “She’s fast and her first three steps are explosive.”

He also said Pearce is an intelligent and highly-skilled player.

“I just tried to play safe today,” said Pearce. “I knew our offense would score.”

Hermon had a couple of good chances to equalize.

In the first half, Lori Davis’s free kick rolled across the Orono goalmouth, just beyond the reach of Tori Adams. Early in the second half, another Davis free kick resulted in a scramble in front of Therrien. Kerri Downing had the ball go off her knee to Therrien.

“I was just glad it game to me,” said Therrien.

“I figured it would be a 1-0, 2-1 game,” said Hermon Coach Kevin McConnell. “We could have played better but the girls worked hard.”

Besides Pearce and Abbott, Dyjak also praised the performances turned in by striker Lori Young, stopper Laura Hoovler, fullback Jody Eddy and midfielder Chris Clukey. McConnell lauded the efforts turned in by midfielders Marie McCready, Downing and Janis Adams.