BREWER – Bangor senior goalie Mike Arsenault has played in just five competitive soccer games in his life.

But during the Rams’ 2-1 win over Brewer at Doyle Field Friday night, Arsenault looked like the goal area was his natural habitat.

“I just do what I can for the team,” Arsenault said. “I do what the coach tells me and what’s good for the team.”

Arsenault was phenomenal in goal, saving sure shots from Brewer scoring threats Jamie Lambert and Matt Bemis. He had a shutout going until he came out of the game in the middle of the last half and substitute Corey Bobb entered the game. Brewer’s Mark Blaine took a pass from Jon Bates, drew Bobb out of the goal area and drove in a shot just past Bobb’s reach with 12:32 left in the game.

Arsenault and Bobb combined for 12 saves.

Arsenault attributed his evening to the Bangor defense.

“I didn’t feel that much pressure. I felt pretty isolated back there in goal. I just felt like everyone was doing their jobs.”

Arsenault and Bobb were solid, and the Bangor forwards created scoring opportunities, but the Witches managed to outshoot the Rams 19-18.

When the Witches did get off their shots, Bangor’s Arsenault was there to clean up. He saved sure goals from Brewer scoring threats Lambert, Ben Tardiff and Matt Bemis.

“It was just some bad luck,” Brewer coach Adam Leach said. “We didn’t get the quality shots that we needed to get. But I think we outplayed them.”

Bangor took a 1-0 lead just three minutes into the game when Griffin McManus fielded the ball and passed to Benjamin Carr, who scored the first goal for the lead.

The game was mostly a back-and-forth affair after the halftime, until Eben Sypitkowsky chipped in a goal past Brewer keeper Tim Miller from an Elliot Blackstone pass at the 21:54 mark. Miller finished with 10 saves.

Ram backs Joe Capeheart, Phu Thai and Elliot Blackstone played a tough, pugnacious defense, committing 29 fouls to Brewer’s 15.

“We knew we couldn’t give them any space,” Bangor coach Keith Bosley said.

The Witches’ record now drops to 1-3.

The Rams will test their stamina and 2-2-1 record this week in a rescheduled game against Presque Isle on Monday, a Wednesday game against Hampden, and a Friday contest against undefeated Ellsworth, a perennial Class B power.

Bosley said Friday’s win should be an emotional boost for the coming games.

“The guys feel good right now,” he said. “It’ll be easier to get them to go to practice tomorrow.”

JV: Bangor 6, Brewer 1