RUMFORD — It took some time to get the jitters out, but once the Mountain Valley girls; soccer team settled down, there was little doubt who was in control of the Falcons’ game against Mt. Abram at Chet Bulger Field on Wednesday.
Junior Ashley Russell recorded a natural hat trick and added two assists and the team’s defense held firm as Mountain Valley topped Mt. Abram 7-1 in an MVC contest.
The Falcons also received two goals each from LeAnne McNally and Julia Perry in their team’s season opener. They were supposed to have opened the season last Friday against Monmouth, but the game was postponed.
Perry and Russell combined on the first two goals as the Falcons relied on their passing game and attacked in the latter part of the first half.
“This was a good showing,” Mountain Valley coach Lynn Gould said. “We wanted to come out strong and move the ball around. I felt that we worked well with the triangle and getting the ball inside.”
The Falcons’ transition game led to the initial tally, when Russell advanced a pass to Perry who received the ball, rushed past defender Meg Marble and booted the ball past Mt. Abram goalie Sally Stevens (seven saves), with 12:01 remaining in the first half.
Minutes later, Hannah Koch launched a somersault throw-in to Perry, who dribbled and attracted the defense. Perry passed to Russell, who was unmarked on the right side, and she curled a shot in to the far corner for a 2-0 lead at halftime.
“Definitely, in the middle and we covered it well,” Russell said. “We had some good ball movement. I was just set-up at the right place at the right time.”
In the second half, Mountain Valley scored again on a Perry pass and a 20-yard blast by Russell high in the left corner.
Mt. Abram quickly answered with a rush. Midfielder Risa Marble advanced a pass to forwards Emma Kearing and Lindsay Huff. It was Kearing who drilled a shot at Falcon senior goalie Karen Flaherty (six saves), 31 seconds after.
“This was certainly a tough one,” Mt. Abram coach Marc Keller said. “I thought that we were quicker up front, but we couldn’t break through. We were missing a few, including a defender. But, it will come. We’ll get them.”
The Falcons defense consistently cleared the offensive zone, led by Kayla Sinclair, Victoria Ryerson, Sydney Petrie and Jordyn Turner. Russell scored back-to-back goals, the latter assisted by Emily Laubauskas. Perry and McNally closed out the scoring.
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