JAY — Spruce Mountain can’t do anything during the MVC regular season to prepare for the overall heightened skill level of the Class B girls’ soccer tournament.
What the Phoenix did get Monday from one of their traditional Class C foes was a look at the more physical brand of the game that awaits in a week or two. That’s one reason they couldn’t complain too much about a 1-0 loss to Wiscasset at Taglienti Field.
“B teams play physical. I keep telling the girls, ‘B teams don’t play nice,’ so we want to see this,” Spruce Mountain coach Jon Blaisdell said. “I wasn’t disappointed with how we played the second half. We were tougher. We just couldn’t get the good shot. That’s the way it goes.”
The loss ended the most prolific run in the program’s short history. Spruce Mountain (9-3) hadn’t given up a goal in three weeks and hadn’t lost a game in four, outscoring opponents 32-1 during a seven-game winning streak.
Wiscasset (10-2-1) took control early, however. Miranda McIntire’s 25-yard blast soared over the head and outstretched arms of Emily Keene to put the Wolverines on top in the 13th minute.
“There was nothing the keeper could do,” Blaisdell said.
Keene and the Phoenix defense did plenty to keep the deficit manageable through the remainder of the half.
The Wolverines enjoyed at least three golden opportunities in front of the net. Keene made eight of her 12 saves in the first half, while defenders Paige Butterfield, Audrey Mercier, Sarah Collins and Vanese Barnes took turns booting the ball out of harm’s way.
“I was hoping we’d get a few more, but it just didn’t happen,” Wiscasset coach Duane Goud said. “And I knew this team wasn’t going to go away. They’re a very athletic team.”
In the most dangerous sequence for the Phoenix defense, Sarah Hanley rang the crossbar. McIntire pounced on Barnes’ attempt to clear the box but missed wide right.
“I wasn’t happy with our level of play in the first half. They were beating us to the ball a lot,” Blaisdell said. “We seemed a little timid, I think. We knew they were going to be a physical team, and I think that got into our head a little bit.”
Spruce Mountain’s best scoring bids throughout the game came off the foot of captain Hayley Doyen.
One of her first-half shots forced Wolverines goalie Kayla Gordon to make a juggling save, but no Phoenix were there for the follow-up. Michaela Trudeau chased down Doyen to stifle another potential point-blank shot to the left of Gordon.
In the second half, Gordon was briefly screened out after a Doyen corner kick but was able to recover in to stop Brittany Carrier’s scoring chance. Gordon (eight saves) also denied Doyen’s direct kick with 2:25 to go.
“We were still a little bit too far disconnected front to back, and that hurt us,” Blaisdell said. “We tried to get the kids to push up some.”
Briana Goud and Maeve Carlson were disruptive forces at both ends of the field for the Wolverines, who extended their own unbeaten streak to 10 games and moved into second place in Western Class C behind St. Dom’s with the victory.
“I thought we controlled the ball well today,” Coach Goud said.
Wiscasset faced one final, anxious moment when Blaisdell borrowed a hockey tactic and pulled Keene out of the cage and into the open field with 30 seconds to play.
Keene served the ball into the Wolverines’ end, but the defense worked the ball harmlessly toward the sideline as time expired.
“She has a good, hard kick,” Blaisdell said of Keene. “We don’t care if we lose 2-0 or 1-0. It doesn’t matter, so it was worth a shot.”
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