HAMPDEN – Sometimes in soccer, luck plays a role.

Bangor midfielder Hannah Bennett didn’t mean for her kick to be a shot on goal when it went into the net during the first half of Tuesday night’s game against Hampden Academy. But it turned out to be the game-winner in a 2-0 victory over the rival Broncos.

It was Bangor’s first win on Hampden’s artificial turf field since the surface was installed at the Weatherbee School complex in 2003.

And the Rams, now 3-1, gained some revenge after the Broncos knocked them out of the playoffs last year with a 3-2 quarterfinal win – also on Hampden’s field.

Bennett conceded that she didn’t mean her kick to be a shot attempt.

All she did was boot a high shot into the area, hoping someone would get a head on the ball. But the ball continued toward the net and as Hampden goalie Michelle Wells extended to stop the shot, the ball went off her hands with 28:35 left in the first half.

“I figured that was a lucky shot because I didn’t mean it to be a shot,” Bennett said. “But hey, if it goes in, I’m not frowning about that.”

Jessie Roberts put in the insurance goal with 9:34 left in the game. It was a tribute to something the Rams had worked on in practice recently – following shots and looking for rebounds.

The goal came after a corner kick, with the ball bouncing between the defense and the offense in the penalty area. Roberts finally settled the ball and booted another high shot over Wells.

“We’ve been working on trying to follow the ball on our shots,” Bennett said. “This game was proving the point of what we’ve been doing in practice, which is great to see.”

After starting the season with a 6-4 win over Skowhegan, Hampden (1-2) has struggled with just one goal in two games.

Bangor outshot Hampden 19-4 on Tuesday, including 11-1 in the second half.

“We didn’t have good touches on the ball,” Hampden coach Dewey Martin said. “We had the ball in the offensive third, but we didn’t have many good opportunities for shots.”

Bangor, meanwhile, picked up its third shutout of the season. The Ram defenders, including Kelly White, Rachel Roberts, Caroline Mroz and Kristin Eremita, wanted to cover the backfield and not take too many chances.

“We just tried to play our game, but if any one of their players started to cause problems we would mark them,” sweeper White said.

Wells kept the Broncos alive despite giving up the two high shots. The sophomore saved at least two other hard shots by Roberts and finished with 12 saves.

“Michelle played a great game in goal,” Martin said of his first-year starter. “She was in all the right places. We’re struggling with the high balls right now. But I don’t have any problems with her game.”

Bangor goalie Ilyse Angst had two saves.