JAY — Whether their brand of hockey is played on ice or grass, coaches consistently preach the importance of scoring in the first minute of a period or the last minute.

Goals are great whenever, of course, but to chalk one up right out of the starting blocks or just before the water and orange slices at intermission couldn’t be more deflating to an opponent.

Spruce Mountain didn’t quite beat the imaginary alarm to start Friday’s MVC field hockey battle with Dirigo, but Randi Duguay’s redirection of a blistering shot by Victoria Ouellette at the 1:17 mark served the same purpose in constructing the plot of a 3-0 Phoenix homecoming victory.

“You can get a little psychological thing going,” Spruce Mountain co-coach Jane DiPompo said.

As if the challenge of facing the Class B Phoenix (8-0-1) isn’t daunting enough for the remainder of the Class C clubs in a loaded and balanced league.

The tally didn’t shoot through the roof the way Spruce Mountain wanted it to, but second-half goals by Kayla Meserve and LaDesta Tracy were sufficient to keep the Phoenix unblemished and relatively unchallenged since an opening-day tie with Lisbon.

Senior goaltender Kasey Richards made seven saves to secure Spruce Mountain’s third shutout of the season.

“It took 11 of us today to post it, but Kasey’s been at it a long time,” DiPompo said. “She’s diligent in practice and a hard worker.”

The defeat ended a four-game winning streak for Dirigo (4-5), which absorbed a significant physical toll.

Senior Kelsey Wilson took a hard hit in the face from the ball off a Spruce Mountain free hit three minutes into the game. Classmate Meagan Brann, leader of the Cougars’ back line, left early in the second half when a scorching Phoenix shot glanced off her body between the end of her shin guard and top of her cleat.

Dirigo started the game with only three varsity substitutes.

“We put a sophomore and a junior there. I had to flip positions they don’t play. I’m not saying that’s an excuse. We didn’t get it done,” Dirigo coach Gretchen Errington said. “What I told them is it’s frustrating because I can’t sit there and say (what we did wrong). We hung with them and hung with them and hung with them.”

Shots on goal were even at four in a first half that unfolded without many serious scoring threats after the Duguay goal. Ouellette made three successive saves in a cloud of dust to deny Dirigo’s lone extended bid.

Ouellette unleashed a hard shot from the edge of the circle on a penalty corner to trigger that icebreaker. Duguay got a stick on it.

It stayed a one-goal game until the 20:27 mark of the second half.

Nicole Hamblin hit the post after a well-placed pass from Tracy. Meserve cleaned it up for the goal.

“We’ve got numbers. We’ve got speed. We like it,” DiPompo said. “We’re trying to mix it up and trying to build toward the tournament. Our games haven’t been all that lopsided. Nothing where you can (take a deep breath).”

Richards stymied an Ellie Wainwright blast with her blocker to preserve the shutout.

Morgan Fournier assisted Tracy’s insurance tally with 6:15 to go.

“I know Spruce was coming in thinking it was going to be a six (or) seven-goal game against us, so that felt good,” Errington said. “It’s so frustrating when you think about how we played Winthrop tough into overtime, and Winthrop beat Lisbon, and Lisbon tied Spruce. It’s their homecoming. I think they had that going for them.”

Spruce Mountain’s undefeated run should receive two more terrific tests from Lisbon and Oak Hill next week.

“Those guys have come a long way in four weeks. They’re playing tough,” DiPompo said of the Cougars. “Dirigo is kind of the team that’s been one goal out all season. They play tough and play hard.”

koakes@sunjournal.com

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