MCI posts overtime win

PITTSFIELD – In all likelihood, Maine Central Institute junior midfielder Adam Lambert is teammate Trevor Lykens’ favorite player right now.

That’s because Lambert’s goal 1:15 into the first sudden death overtime gave MCI a 3-2 win over Medomak Valley of Waldoboro in their Eastern Maine Class B soccer preliminary game here Wednesday.

Eighth-seeded MCI, now 9-3-3, will travel to play top-seeded Hermon, 10-1-3, in Saturday’s 2 p.m. quarterfinal. No. 9 Medomak Valley finished at 7-5-3.

Lambert’s winner came right after Lykens’ potential game-winning penalty kick with two seconds left in regulation was saved by Medomak Valley goalie Ryan Caisse.

“If we had lost in overtime, I would have felt it was all on my shoulders,” said Lykens. “I would have really felt bad for the seniors.”

Actually, Lykens played a major role in enabling the Huskies to force overtime as it was his perfectly-placed cross off a free kick that Lambert headed through the hands of Caisse to tie it 2-2 with just 7:46 left.

Lykens took the free kick just beyond the corner of the penalty area and he lofted it to the near post.

“I was going to put it to the far post but Adam and I made eye contact,” explained Lykens.

“It was a great pass,” said Lambert, who was unmarked as he flicked the seven-yard header into the net off the hands of Caisse.

Moments later, after a handball on Reuben Brown in the penalty area during a scramble, Lykens’ penalty kick went directly at Caisse, who knocked it down with his hands.

“I shanked it. I was indecisive,” said Lykens.

But it all worked out for MCI when Lamont Bean’s left-footed inswinging corner was dropped by Caisse and Lambert, who had rushed to the near post, knocked it into the short side for his third goal of the season and second in a span of 9:01.

“I was trying to score off the corner,” said Bean.

Maine Central Institute had an advantage in territorial play as evidenced by its 37-18 margin in shots at goal. But the Panthers generated several dangerous chances on counterattacks with speedy right winger Aaron Miller creating havoc for the Huskiy defenders.

After a scoreless first half, Jason Amara hauled down Sam Hallowell in the penalty area and MV’s Tim Spear converted the penalty kick with 35:01 left.

Lambert set up MCI’s equalizer with a long throw-in that deflected off Jeff Giallombardo and Bean before Bean followed it up and directed it into the open net.

Just after MCI hit a pair of posts during a flurry in front of the net, Medomak Valley stunned the Huskies by scoring with 12:41 remaining as Tim Stiles converted a nice through ball by Hallowell. Stiles hit a low 10-yarder with his left foot past MCI goalie Adam Ross.

“We can play better but I loved the character the team showed by coming from behind,” said MCI Coach Jeff Heaton-Jones.

Ross finished with nine saves and Chaisse had 11.