BLUE HILL – The forwards on the George Stevens Academy boys soccer team would probably like to replay several of their shots on goal against Ellsworth Tuesday afternoon, but both squads were perfectly willing to leave the field at the Blue Hill fairgrounds with a 2-2 double overtime tie.

Although the scoreboard and final statistics were very even, GSA dominated at times and had several extremely close chances hit the crossbar and posts.

“I was just really happy with the fact that we got a lot of shots on goal,” George Stevens coach Jim Sperry said. “If we could have gotten them a little bit lower … but we had some beautiful shots and they have a fantastic goalie.”

GSA is now 6-2-3 while Ellsworth moves to 5-3-1.

Ellsworth is 5-0-1 since forfeiting three games earlier this season due to ineligible players.

“I think we’ve showed a lot of people that we’re a pretty deep team,” said Ellsworth junior Pat Nabozny. “We would have rather had a win tonight, but we’ve been playing pretty well.”

Ellsworth scored the first and last goals of the game. Chris Baez’s game-tying goal coming with just 4 minutes, 18 seconds left in regulation.

Nabozny opened the scoring when he hit a wide-open blast from outside the penalty area to give Ellsworth a 1-0 lead.

George Stevens was strong out of halftime as Ryan Kurtz scored about 21/2 minutes into the second half when he deflected a header by Seth Brayton. Josh Astbury gave GSA a 2-1 lead 12 minutes later when he blasted in a shot off a Danny Moran corner kick.

GSA had plenty of second-half chances. Phineas Peake hit the crossbar with about 20 minutes left and Kurtz struck the left post early in the half. Austin Dobson had a breakaway with about 28 minutes left, but his shot sailed just over the goal.

Nabozny said GSA’s transition game wore out Ellsworth a bit.

“They just chip it and get it out there and you have to sprint if you’re on offense, because if you let their defenders get the ball they’re going to have a break,” he said. “We had to run back and forth so much. It was a really fast-paced game.”

Ellsworth had its opportunities, too, as forward Dem Katsiaficas had several shots go high and wide of the net.

“Their whole front line, we know if they get it on their right foot anywhere close they’re going to shoot it,” GSA goalie Collin Henry said. “Our defense did a pretty good job of shutting them down. I just knew I have to be ready for them.”

Baez finally capitalized for Ellsworth, striking in a crossing pass from Ricky Trombley.

In addition to the tie score, the two teams were close in the final statistics. GSA had a 29-23 edge in shots on goal and Ellsworth goalie Cory Smith had 14 saves and George Stevens’ Henry stopped 15 shots. And both squads had six corner kicks.

“We were pretty well even the entire game,” Sperry said. “It was very well balanced.”