FARMINGTON — Mt Ararat continued it’s defensive domination Thursday when the Eagles registered their third consecutive shutout in a 3-0 win over Mt. Blue in a boys’ Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A soccer game on Caldwell Field.
Mt. Ararat (2-0-1) sandwiched a pair of set piece goals around a brilliant strike off the foot of Jacob Sturgess to secure the win. Mt. Blue (0-2-1) missed a big opportunity to open the second half, but sent a penalty kick wide as the Cougars struggled to find consistency throughout the game.
“We competed, challenged and pressured the ball,” Mt. Ararat coach Jack Rioux said. “Defensively we have been extremely solid.”
The Eagles have certainly surprised their opponents this season after graduating 14 seniors from the team. Younger players have stepped into key roles, where they are shining early in the season.
“Right now I would say I am pleasantly surprised,” Rioux said. “We only have two returning starters, so I’m happy with where we are right now.”
Mt. Blue, meanwhile, is working to find the right combination of youth and experience on the field. The Cougars generated a number of quality shots but failed to put the ball on target. Defensively the Cougars have been prone to critical mistakes, allowing nine goals through the first three games this season.
“We had some legitimate looks at the goal,” Mt. Blue coach Joel Smith said. “We’re just not putting them in the back of the net. Mt. Ararat outworked us, they were very organized in the back.”
James Hutchinson gave the Eagles the lead at 20:51 of the first half, when the junior defender struck a free kick from just outside the penalty area on the left side. Hutchinson strike curled into the top right corner for a 1-0 lead.
Ten minutes later, Mt. Blue had an opportunity to knot the score when Devon Hoyt lofted a free kick into the Eagles penalty area, finding teammate Evan Backus alone at the eight. Backus one-timed the ball harmlessly over the top of the goal.
Twenty-four seconds into the second half Backus was called on again, this time after Mt. Blue was awarded a penalty kick. Backus’ ball skirted past the left post of a wide open net.
With words of encouragement coming from the bench, the Eagles tightened their defense, giving little away the remainder of the game. Paced by Hutchinson, at central defender, and teammates Cole Guerin, Nick Merrill and Eli Timberlake Mt. Ararat earned its shutout.
“We have a lot of heart,” Hutchinson said. “We were nervous with so many young players, so were worked hard trying to keep the ball in front of us.”
Sturgess gave the Eagles a 2-0 advantage at 29:46. Dalton Streeter launched a long throw-in from the sideline, Max Spelke raced onto the ball redirecting it to Sturgess, who was on a diagonal run through the Mt. Blue penalty area.
Mt. Blue goalkeeper Joe Bowering came racing out but Sturgess, softly flicked the ball with the outside of his foot into the Cougar goal from seven yards.
Travis Nadeau topped the Mt. Ararat scoring on a free kick outside the penalty area with 13:56 left in the game. Nadeau ripped a hard shot with his left foot into the top corner for the final 3-0 margin of victory.
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