Cougars defeat Bangor Strong ‘D’ gives Mt. Blue 5th win

BANGOR – The Mt. Blue High School girls soccer team may not have won the midfield battle in its Eastern Maine Class A game against Bangor Thursday night.

But the Cougars were more dangerous in the attacking third and did a better job marking in the defensive third which produced an important 4-1 win.

Mt. Blue sophomore right midfielder Hannah Allen scored the only goal in the first half against the run of play and Nara Montenegro and Chelsea Thompson expanded the lead to 3-0 in the second half before an Eliza Estabrook goal gave the Rams some life midway through the second half.

The Rams had two chances to pull closer but they missed the net and Marlie Mochamer clinched it.

Both teams are now 5-2.

“This [win] was amazing,” said Allen. “I’ve never felt this great in my life.”

“This was the best game we’ve played this year,” said Mochamer.

Allen opened the scoring with 7:54 left in the first half.

She won a 50-50 ball in the right midfield and launched a 28-yard shot that was perfectly placed off the fingertips of Bangor goalie Kortnie Hudgens and under the crossbar.

The Rams had a 13-3 shots-at-goal margin in the first half but they never really tested Mt. Blue goalie Em Deane, who made seven routine saves.

Mt. Blue made it 2-0 early in the second half when sweeper Sabrina Keach’s free kick glanced into the penalty area where the unmarked Montenegro tapped it past the helpless Hudgens from six yards out.

Keach anchored the impressive Cougar defensive performance as the Cougars quickly surrounded the Ram attackers, limiting their ability to shoot.

Thompson made it 3-0 by striking a 25-yarder that sailed over Hudgens’ head.

Estabrook gave the Rams life with a tap-in after some nice work and a well-placed cross by Sadie Redman.

The unattended Mochamer answered by tucking a 14-yarder inside the far post off a Montenegro pass following a Meredith Allen corner.

“Mt. Blue played very well,” said Bangor coach Joe Johnson. “They’re an aggressive team with speed. And our defense didn’t have one of its better nights.”

Deane finished with 10 saves on 20 shots while Hudgens had two stops on 16 shots.

JV: Bangor 4-0

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