Pandas down Crusaders for EM crown

LEE – When Chip Wiggins took over the Lee girls soccer coaching post this year, he wasn’t sure what to expect. He set some high goals for the team, but had no idea if they could be met – the former North Carolina high school coach and college assistant had never seen Maine high school girls play before he took the job.

Things became quite clear to Wiggins about a month ago. The Pandas were in the middle of an undefeated regular season, they were dominating their opposition, and Wiggins could tell he had gems at almost every position.

Friday afternoon Lee achieved one of Wiggins’ goals – an Eastern Maine Class D title.

Freshman Shelby Pickering scored the eventual game-winning goal and assisted on another as the No. 1 Pandas held off No. 2 Van Buren thanks to a stellar late-game defensive effort and earned a 2-1 victory at Linscott Field.

Lee will go for Wiggins’ second goal – the state championship – Nov. 3. The Pandas will face the winner of Saturday’s Western Maine final between No. 2 Waynflete of Portland and No. 1 Richmond for the state title Saturday. The site for the game will be determined next week.

The regional title and berth in the state championship are firsts for Lee (18-0), which dropped down from Class C this year. The Crusaders, meanwhile, came into the game as the three-time defending Eastern Maine champs.

Beating Van Buren (13-5) for the EM title is an unbelievable feeling, the Pandas said.

“It doesn’t even feel real right now,” said Deidra Ham, whose header off Pickering’s corner kick in the first half gave Lee a 1-0 lead.

Pickering scored her game-winner on a direct kick just outside of the penalty area 4:13 into the second half.

“I never have second thoughts about putting her in that kind of situation,” Wiggins said. “She dictates our entire offense.”

The Pandas’ skill and speed overcame the Crusaders’ experience, especially in the second half.

Lee was ahead 2-0 with 15 minutes left, but as dark clouds rolled in over the field, Van Buren coach Brian Hews pulled some defensive players up to the front line and the Crusaders picked up their attack and intensity.

With 11:43 left in the second half, midfielder Natalie Cormier booted the ball into the penalty area in an attempt to get the ball to a forward, but the shot was so hard and high that it went over Lee goalie Katie Harris and into the net.

Van Buren had a great chance with 10 minutes left when Micah LaPlante aimed a header over Harris, who jumped to make the save.

“I’m very pleased with our second half,” Hews said. “That’s about as hard as we can play.”

The Pandas were able to stop Van Buren striker Nicole Corbin, who led the team with 26 goals this year, although she did have the assist on Cormier’s goal. Lee players Amanda Carey and Kristin Hersom marked Corbin.

Lee outshot Van Buren 18-9 but the Crusaders’ defense – especially sweeper Erin Parent – kept the Pandas from getting too many chances.

“That’s probably the best defense we’ve played against,” the Pandas’ Ashley Linscott said. “I’ve never had to backpedal so much to get to a ball.”

Van Buren’s Danielle Gagnon made 11 saves. Harris stopped five shots.