DEXTER – Dexter field hockey coach Margaret Veazie believes that her best defense is a good offense. She found plenty of offense Saturday in sophomore Meagan Fogarty.

In a steady rain, Fogarty scored three goals and assisted on two others and the top-seeded Tigers steamrolled No. 4 Piscataquis of Guilford 5-0 in an Eastern Maine Class C semifinal. Dexter will host No. 6 seed Telstar of Bethel, a 2-1 winner over Winthrop, on Wednesday for the EM title.

People will be talking about Fogarty’s last goal of the game, the Tigers’ fifth, for a long time in Dexter. Fogarty and Brittany Veazie worked a breakaway to perfection with Veazie feeding the ball to Fogarty at the top of the penalty area. Fogarty slipped one defender and cut to her right past the goalie and slapped the ball into the goal.

It was one of many opportunities the Tigers created. Dexter kept the 8-8 Pirates pinned in their defensive end.

“We like to push up as fast and with as many people as we can and swarm the circle to get a corner so we can get the defense out and be more open for shots,” said Brittany Veazie, who finished the game with two assists.

The strategy worked. The Tigers took 17 shots on goal and the score could have been much worse if not for the good play of Piscataquis goalie Amy Knowlton who made 10 saves, many at point-blank range.

“I believe in offense,” Margaret Veazie said. “My defense is wonderful. They’re so veteran and they’re so good that I can do that. I can take that chance. I can push everybody. We push in numbers. Seven, eight up there.”

Fogarty scored the first goal of the game 13 minutes into the match off a feed from Nikki Chapman. Fogarty returned the favor in the second half, setting up Chapman for a goal.

Fogarty also assisted on Vanessa Hartford’s second-half goal when she squeezed a pass through a crowd in front of the goal to Hartford, who was standing at the left post and shoveled the ball in.

The Tigers’ attack kept the ball out of their defensive end. Piscataquis managed only two shots on goal, both of which Dexter goalie Cindy Koscielny easily handled.

“I thought they really moved the ball well. They anticipated our passes. Their skills are unbelievable when they get the ball. They just know where their teammates are and they get it to them,” Piscataquis coach Trisha Moulton said.

The win puts the 16-0 Tigers on familiar turf. They are one win away from a chance at a third straight Class C state title and their fourth in six years.

“It’s just unbelievable,” Fogarty said. “Like last year was one of the best experiences of my life coming on the team as a freshman and winning a state championship. I hope to do it again my sophomore year.”