Madawaska cruises past Pioneers Ashley D. Cyr registers three goals, Gerard two for undefeated Owls

ST. AGATHA – Center midfielder Beth Gerard is known as the playmaker on the Madawaska girls soccer team.

Gerard, the senior who sets up scoring opportunities for everybody else, took things into her own hands early in Tuesday afternoon’s game against Wisdom, scoring an early goal to spark the Owls to a 7-0 victory over the Pioneers at the girls’ field.

Always-tough Madawaska remained unbeaten as junior Ashley D. Cyr tallied a hat trick (three goals) and Gerard finished with two goals and an assist.

The Owls, now 6-0, took advantage of some Wisdom defensive letdowns, especially in the first half. But things got started with Gerard’s blast from about 25 yards out. All it took was a hard shot high in the air, and the ball slipped between an outstretched Wisdom goalie Kayla Daigle and the crossbar about 31/2 minutes into the game.

“We were a step behind and we weren’t able to get a foot on the ball,” said Wisdom coach Mim Gagnon. “That’s what happened on the first goal. If someone would have been able to get a foot on that, it wouldn’t have been a goal.”

Scoring first – and early- is key, Gerard said.

“We’ve had games we played in before when even if we’re dominating we don’t score, and that brings the whole team down,” she said. “By halftime if you don’t score it’s anyone’s game. So getting that first goal is important.”

Cyr scored her first goal about seven minutes later when she kicked in a crossing pass from Sarah Nadeau. Ashley D. Cyr put in another seven minutes later off a cross from Ashley A. Cyr, although the difference this time was that Daigle was out of the box after chasing down an earlier shot.

“I just had a chance to put my toe in and shoot it,” Ashley D. Cyr said. “[Daigle] called for the ball too early, so I just tapped it to [Ashley A. Cyr] and she passed it back to me. Every goal counts.”

Gerard fed Ashley D. Cyr for the first goal of the second half, and Gerard scored off a pass from Kallie Pelletier. Andrea M. Cyr and Ashley A. Cyr each added a goal later in the game.

Gerard also credited defensive midfielder Chelsea Martin and sweeper Andrea K. Cyr with helping shut down the Pioneers.

The Owls kept Daigle busy with 18 saves on 36 shots.

Wisdom, now 2-5, had just one player on the bench and was trying out a new 4-4-2 game scheme. The Pioneers didn’t have any shots in the first half, but were able to drum up more offense after halftime. Forward Justine Tardif gave the Pioneers one of their better chances when she booted a ball that nearly slipped over the fingers of Madawaska goalie Liz Laplante with 24 minutes left.

The shot was set up by a sharp passing sequence between Chelsea Paradis, Stephanie Turner and Tardif to get the ball down the field.

“It’s something we’re going to have to work on,” Gagnon said of the new offense, “but at halftime I was able to explain a few more things to them and I think that helped as far as more offense and getting the ball up the wings. I just wanted to try something different, because I knew we’d be outgunned.”

The Owls weren’t surprised to see the Pioneers come out stronger after halftime.

“That’s what we see usually in almost every game that we play,” Ashley D. Cyr said. “If we’re dominating, [the other team] comes out in the second half and looks like a different team.”

Laplante made one save on four shots and backup goalie Stephanie Nadeau stopped the only shot she faced.