HA Broncos run past Eagles

HAMPDEN – Sometimes, the game of soccer is more fun when teams play a kick-and-run style of offense.

With a lot of team speed and a FieldTurf playing surface in its arsenal, the Hampden Academy girls soccer team ran, ran and ran some more, scoring three times in the first half Tuesday and cruising to a 5-1 KVAC Class A victory over Messalonskee of Oakland at the Weatherbee Complex.

It was pretty evident the 5-3 Broncos were having a ball, in particular Ashley Robinson, who scored two first-half goals en route to her second hat trick of the season.

“We were really pumped up for this game. We wanted to beat them because they beat us [earlier this season],” the freshman midfielder explained.

Messalonskee blanked the Broncos 2-0 earlier this fall, but Hampden’s speed in the midfield and up front was too much for coach Mike Guarino’s Eagles, who fall to 3-5.

“I think they had too much speed, we didn’t adapt to their speed, Guarino said. “All the credit goes to Hampden, they ran, ran and ran.”

A lot of the Broncos’ scoring chances were generated from long, booming passes out of the defensive third and up into the offensive end, where the dangerous Robinson and Michaela Stephenson wreaked havoc on the Eagles’ back line all night.

“That’s the first time we’ve done that, hit the ball that well, but we’ve been working on it,” said Hampden coach Jeff Ingalls.

Robinson slammed home a cross from Stephenson 9:01 into the match and created her own opportunity on a one-on-one with 17:42 to play, working around a Messalonskee defender and booting the ball inside the left post.

“Coach is always telling me to take the one-on-one when I get a chance, and that was a good chance,” Robinson said.

Emily Tarbell scored between Robinson’s first-half goals, an unassisted tally with 18:30 to play in the half, while Stephenson and Robinson each scored on breakaway goals 1:06 apart in the second to put it away.

“It’s definitely one of our better games this season. We definitely wanted to redeem ourselves from the last time we met with Messalonskee,” said Stephenson, who finished with a goal and two assists.

“We came out firing, everyone was on top of their game.”

Messalonskee had a couple chances to get back in the match, but had two free kicks hit the crossbar and a penalty kick sail wide in the second half.

“The ball obviously didn’t bounce our way today,” said Guarino.

Those were Messalonskee’s best scoring chances, as Hampden’s aggressive back line of sophomore Monique Kelmenson, senior Tarbell and sophomore Whitney Moore limited the Eagles’ penetration in the offensive end while keeping the dangerous Alison Omsberg off the ball.

“We tried to keep it away from her,” Ingalls said.

He called the play of his back line “tremendous.”

After a slow start to the season, Hampden appears to be clicking at the right time.

“We started the first half with a loss to these guys so the second half we’re starting with a pretty good win,” said Ingalls.

Julia Snyder played a solid game in goal for the Broncos, coming up with three saves on nine Messalonskee shots and snaring several loose balls at the top of the penalty area.

Hannah Dexter scored an unassisted second-half goal for the Eagles. Sarah Jacques made eight saves on 18 shots.

rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net

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