Dubois helps Rams rebound from loss

BREWER – Sometimes the best thing to do after a tough defeat is to get right back on the field for another game.

That theory worked for the Bangor girls’ soccer team Tuesday night, as the Rams shook off a double-overtime loss to undefeated Presque Isle a day earlier to defeat Brewer 5-0 at Doyle Field.

“We played pretty well,” said junior striker Serena Dubois, who scored two goals in the first half as Bangor built a 3-0 lead. “We came off a tough loss yesterday, but we bounced back and we’re looking back on the right track.”

Emily Heath added a goal and an assist for the Rams, while Jen Lucy and Amy Hackett each scored a goal and Hanna Claeson contributed an assist.

Goalie Ilyse Angst stopped all five shots she faced, including a diving save against Brewer’s Ashley Albert with 12:30 left to preserve the shutout.

“We had a really tough loss against Presque Isle last night and I was wondering how we’d take it,” said Bangor coach Jeff Ingalls. “We did some good things early and the ball didn’t go in, and we finally scored a couple and went from there.

“This is a great bunch of kids, they’ve got a great work ethic. We’re just so young, and we’re trying to struggle through it.”

Bangor (3-4) lost seven starters from its 2003 team that reached the Eastern Maine Class A final, and a young returning nucleus has faced a rugged early schedule – with two losses to Presque Isle and another defeat to once-beaten Hampden Academy.

Brewer (1-6) was led by freshman goalie Carolyn Tuck, who made 16 saves on 22 shots.

“We played all right for us,” said Brewer coach Bill Swartz. “Injuries are killing us. We can’t develop any offense and we have to put players in different positions, but I thought we worked hard and you can’t ask for anything more than that.”

Two goals by Dubois 3:08 apart midway through the first half gave Bangor a 2-0 lead. The first came off a nice lead pass from Heath, while the second came from relatively close range after Dubois gained control of a loose ball near the edge of the penalty area.

“With every game we try to go out and get a lead right from the start, especially with Brewer because they’re a rival,” Heath said.

Lucy made it 3-0 with 2:12 left in the half by converting the rebound of a Dubois shot.

The Rams scored their final two goals 5:20 apart early in the second half. Hackett took possession of the ball after a Brewer goal kick and scored from near the edge of the penalty area to extend the margin to 4-0 with 35:52 to play.

Heath made it 5-0 with 29:32 left, taking a crossing pass from Claeson and outmaneuvering two defenders to score from close range.