Rams tip Eagles in overtime Roberts’ PK lifts Bangor to final

OAKLAND – Catherine LeClair had just seen one scoring opportunity pass by as she raced toward the goal on a corner kick during overtime of Bangor’s Eastern Maine Class A girls soccer semifinal against Messalonskee on Thursday.

When another chance came seconds later, LeClair didn’t score, but her play set up teammate Jessie Roberts for a penalty kick that gave the No. 3 Rams a 2-1 victory over the previously unbeaten Eagles.

The win avenged a 3-2 overtime loss to No. 2 Messalonskee during the regular season, and enables 14-2 Bangor to host the regional final Saturday against No. 5 Brunswick. The 15-2 Dragons advanced with a 1-0 victory over top-seeded Mount Ararat of Topsham on Thursday.

“We learned a lot from our first game with Messalonskee,” said Bangor coach Larry Smith. “It was early in the season, and we got up on them early, and they came back and it went to overtime. We didn’t hold up in that overtime, so I’m really proud of the girls today and proud of what they learned from the first game.”

Messalonskee held the territorial edge for much of regulation play, but the Rams grew more aggressive in overtime.

They were rewarded with a corner kick from the right side, but Erin MacDermott’s kick went untouched past the goal crease, eventually setting up another corner kick from the left wing. This time Roberts lofted a shot that made its way through traffic to LeClair. She redirected the ball toward an open net, only to have Messalonskee sweeper Edith Gawler knock it away with her hand.

“The first corner kick I just missed and I was determined to get the next one,” said LeClair, a sophomore midfielder. “I just wanted to get any part of my body on it, and I guess it worked out for the best.”

Bangor was awarded a penalty kick, and Roberts scored the game-winner on a shot low and to the right of Messalonskee goalie Katie O’Leary.

“I tried not to think,” said Roberts. “I was kind of worried about the footing, so I put the ball a little on the outside and worked on my placement and it worked out all right.”

“Bangor was just putting some pressure on and got a couple of corners, which we defend very well,” said Messalonskee coach Mike Guarino.

“I think what you saw was Edith Gawler, one of the best players ever to come through this program, in the last moment of her senior year, doing everything possible to defend her goal. That’s Edith, and that’s the way it goes. Sometimes the ball bounces your way, sometimes it doesn’t.”

Messalonskee (12-1-3) had an 8-5 edge in shots on goal, with O’Leary making three saves while senior Ilyse Angst made seven stops for a Bangor defense that proved resilient against both muddy conditions and an attacking group of Messalonskee forwards led by sophomore Kate Tonge.

“The most difficult thing was keeping your feet under you, but we’ve got some really good backs and Ilyse Angst did a great job in goal today,” said Bangor sweeper Kelly White.

While the game’s final shot earned Bangor the win, the game’s first shot gave the Rams a 1-0 lead. Senior Serena Dubois scored 2:38 into the contest with an 18-yard shot from the right wing just under the crossbar.

“The goal Serena scored was brilliant, but the ball should have been cleared long before that,” Guarino said. “We anticipated clearing the ball and Serena found a little space and that’s all she needed.”

Messalonskee got the equalizer 10:21 into the second half.

Alexandria Smith struck a centering pass from the right wing toward the goal crease just as she was slipping, and Casey Pawlick was in perfect position to score on an unchallenged header from about six yards out.