HAMPDEN – Beth Dauphinee and Traci Underhill scored the goals that supplied Central High School of Corinth with its 2-0 victory over defending Eastern Maine Class C field hockey champion Stearns of Millinocket Thursday night and gave their school its first EM field hockey title since 1984.

But their defensive work on penalty corners may have been even more important.

Third seed Stearns, which wound up 12-5, had a decided edge in territorial play and generated 17 penalty corners.

However, left wing Dauphinee, center midfielder Underhill, center back Caitlin Elliott and sweeper Chantel Randall used their quickness, anticipation and tenacity to frustrate the Minutemen on their penalty corners.

“We have four of the quickest girls around,” said Central coach Diane Rollins whose top-seeded 15-1 Red Devils will face defending state champ Telstar of Bethel in Saturday’s 2 p.m. state championship game at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland.

Dauphinee explained that in their defensive scheme on penalty corners, her job is to “fly to the ball.” She said if you can get out quickly and pressure them, “they’ll panic.”

Elliott said “we work a lot on ball pressure” and Underhill added that they communicate well and help each other out so they always have somebody “in the right place at the right time.”

Central limited Stearns to 14 shots at goal despite the 17 penalty corners.

Dauphinee opened the scoring with 6:13 left in the first half.

The Red Devils botched a penalty corner but the ball squirted out to Underhill high in the circle.

She swept the ball toward the far corner where a fully extended Dauphinee re-directed it behind Stearns goalie Deanna Michaud.

“It was a last resort. I stuck my stick out and it deflected between the goalie’s pads,” said Dauphinee whose goal was her 11th of the season.

Underhill expanded the lead just 5:43 into the second half with a perfectly placed penalty stroke resulting from a stick obstruction call against a Stearns defender that saved a Central goal by Hilary Haney, who was behind Michaud.

Michaud guessed right on the penalty stroke, stretching as far as she could to her right, but the ball nestled just inside the post.

“I looked in the opposite direction and put it in the other corner tight,” said Underhill whose goal was her 14th.

Stearns continued to apply the pressure to try to claw back into the game but when the Central defense wasn’t clearing the ball, sophomore goalie Kara Voisine came up with the save.

Voisine finished with three saves including an important one in the game’s opening minutes.

Stearns standout Hilary Arsenault, who had great pace on her hits throughout the game, took a long hit that deflected off a Central player onto Voisine’s pads.

The rebound bounced out to Amy Collinsworth but Voisine kicked out Collinsworth’s follow-up attempt.

Voisine also alertly came way off her to kick away a Collinsworth pass to two wide open teammates.

Michaud was equally impressive, making six saves on 13 shots.

“We played very well. They converted and we didn’t,” said Stearns coach Lori Lincoln.