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BANGOR – Bangor High girls soccer teammates Casey Hartley and Amy Hackett claim to have developed a kind of connection after all the years they’ve been playing soccer together.
Hartley found Hackett at just the right time Tuesday night as rivals Bangor and Hampden met at the high school field.
It took more than 78 minutes, but Hackett’s rebound shot after a Hartley pass to the near post finally pushed the Rams past the Broncos 1-0 to keep Bangor undefeated.
The goal, which was scored with just 1 minute, 44 seconds left in regulation, wasn’t even their best chance of the game. That came on a scramble after an Erin MacDermott corner kick with 24:58 left in the game.
Bangor (4-0) got off three shots in a matter of seconds, but Hampden goalie Michelle Wells (five saves on 12 shots) and fullback Lauren Maltz managed to kick away the dangerous balls.
“It was so frustrating,” Hackett said. “Their whole team was packed inside the [18-yard line]. As soon as you hit it, it would go off somebody.”
The Rams kept blasting away, attempting seven shots before Hackett made the most of own her best opportunity.
Hartley was on the left wing when she connected with Hackett, chipping the ball inside to her fellow junior forward.
“We’ve been playing together for so long because of travel soccer,” Hartley said. “We know where [the other one] is without trying. We know how each other one runs and moves.”
Hackett headed it at Wells, who blocked the ball. But it dropped at Hackett’s feet and she drilled it in.
The initial header helped shake off Hampden defender Abby Tarbell-Reynolds.
“Once I got the head over her and it rebounded off the goalie, I already had her on my back side, so it was just me and Michelle,” Hackett said.
Hackett, one of the top forwards in the state, had a quiet game before her winner. So did center midfielder MacDermott, another one of the best players in Eastern Maine Class A.
Both players were well-marked by Tarbell-Reynolds and Mikki Libbey, respectively.
“We man-marked the two people we have the most respect for,” Hampden coach Dewey Martin said. “We said, if we can stop [MacDermott and Hackett] from getting into the scoring, we’ll have a chance. And Amy ended up scoring.”
The Broncos (2-2) had trouble with their offense, getting off just five shots in the game. Bangor’s Tawyna Godinez made three saves.
“We played four different kids up front for fresh legs, and we had some breakaways and some opportunities, but we couldn’t put the ball in,” Martin said. “We’re having trouble getting the ball from the middle to the front.”
The Broncos put on some pressure after the goal, but the final Hampden shot was chipped over the goal with less than 15 seconds left.
“You just have to have faith that your team will get it out,” Hartley said.
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