BANGOR – After a couple of tough losses to Old Town and Ellsworth, the John Bapst girls soccer team desperately needed momentum heading into another tough matchup with Presque Isle later this week.

The Crusaders generated tons of it, erupting for five unanswered first-half goals, including three from senior striker Morgan Chasse in a 5-1 Class B victory over Hermon at the Dorothea Dix field.

The Hawks’ Lindsey Allen curled home a corner kick 7:24 into the match, but the speedy Crusaders took over from there.

Chasse put 4-2 Bapst on the board three minutes after Allen’s goal, cradling a pass from junior winger Kirsty Moriarty at the top of the penalty area, turning and striking the ball inside the right goalpost.

“We had talked before the game about that we need to come out with intensity and as soon as that first [Hermon] goal went in everybody’s like, OK, we need to step up,” said Chasse.

The Hawks’ back line had trouble keeping the fleet-footed, aggressive Chasse in check, as she exhibited exceptional ball-handling and dribbling skills.

Chasse’s other two goals came on breakaways down the left wing at the 23-minte and 6:30 marks.

“I get a lot of breakaways down the wing and it’s just really easy to cross it back into Morgan, she finishes it almost every time,” said Moriarty.

Chasse’s sister Lexi assisted on the game-winning goal at the 27-minute mark, sending a cross from the right wing into halfback Ashley Gale, who booted it inside the right post.

“Once we get our breakaways it’s just easy to cross it in,” Moriarty said.

Both of Chasse’s breakaway goals came after the Crusaders’ back line did a solid job of pushing the ball up the field.

“I couldn’t do it without my midfield and defense to push it up,” Chasse said.

Sandwiched between Chasse’s goals was a tally from Kris Gerrow, who chested home a Jordan Myerowitz cross with 20:08 to play in the first.

Bapst’s back line controlled the midfield soundly, limiting Hermon’s penetration into their offensive end of the field while the Hawks generated only 10 shots at goal.

“We have a really young defense this year but they’re doing really well rotating back,” senior sweeper Abby Perkins said.

While the back line did its job, the Crusaders’ midfielders and forwards worked the wings and midfield well, keeping the ball on the ground and utilizing their speed.

“We try to push it up the middle and see if we can get a look out to the wing and try to do give-and-goes,” said Chasse.

The Crusaders kept up their aggressive play in the second half, but Hawks’ netminder Sarah Bishop came up with some solid saves while aggressively coming out to the top of the penalty area to play a lot of balls, many times with Bapst strikers bearing down.

Laura Jordan came away with three saves and Alex Michaud one while Bishop had 13 on 29 shots for Hermon.

rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net

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