BUCKFIELD — During practice, Blayke Morin just might be the penalty kick queen.
During her soccer career at Rangeley, she’s always taken time to work on penalty kicks and has found a pretty good touch.
“Ever since freshman year, we’ve been working a lot on it,” the senior defender said. “We’d play the knockout penalty kick game. Usually, I won.”
She doesn’t miss too often in game circumstances, either. She was chosen as the Lakers’ shooter Tuesday on a late penalty kick, and she didn’t miss. Her PK with 10 minutes remaining in regulation lifted Rangeley to a 1-0 win over Buckfield.
“It was exciting,” Morin said. “First game with them this season was a tough loss because they got the goal towards the end, just like we did today. We always have good games with Buckfield. So it was good to win on their home field.”
The Lakers not only spoiled the Bucks’ Senior Day celebration, but earned a valuable win against a Buckfield team ranked second (8-3) in Class D South. The Lakers (5-3) were seeded fifth entering the game. Rangeley has won four of its past five games since losing to the Bucks last month.
“The girls stepped up,” Rangeley coach Chip Smith said. “I don’t know if it was a pretty win. It was the same way we played them last time. It was a 1-0 game.”
The Bucks won the first meeting 1-0 on a Tabea Vatthauer goal late in regulation. Buckfield had won four of its last six game since beating the Lakers. Though the Bucks played a solid game in the rematch, Buckfield battled adversity. The Bucks hit the post twice and had to play the second half down a player because of a red card.
“The girls didn’t quit,” Smith said of the Lakers. “They fought hard. It was tough for Buckfield to be down a player.”
A couple mistakes in the defensive end cost the Bucks late in the game. One hand ball led to a free kick. On a play similar to the one that led to an Ashley Campbell yellow card and an earlier bid by Morin, the Lakers got a Morin try that hit the crossbar. Moment’s later, another handball led to the penalty kick.
“I think I was picked because of the frustration on the two direct kicks that were so close,” Morin said.
Morin is no novice at penalty kicks. Knowing that Hannah Shields had switched with Brianna Damon in goal earlier in the half, she found a nice spot low to the left, where Shields was hard-pressed to make the stop.
“I know the goalie was switched out,” Morin. “I tried not to think about it. I wanted to keep it on the ground and keep it on the side.”
Some of Rangeley’s best chances earlier in the game came from Morin. She had a chance off a dead ball but her high shot missed the net. Rangeley had another bid late in the half when Olivia Hall had a rush, but her shot was saved by goalkeeper Damon. Buckfield had a Kali Litchfield shot hit the post after a nice cross from Shields. Then later in the half, Vatthauer hit the post on the right side.
In the second half, the Bucks picked up their game and began to create some better pressure, but the Lakers’ defense still managed to hold strong. Morin was an anchor in the middle, while Natasha Haley and Amber Morrill did a great job on the outside. Litchfield did a nice job getting the ball up front to the Buckfield forwards, but the Lakers managed to break up the passes or interrupt any rushes. Keeper Sydney Royce was mobile and active and did a nice job in goal.
“Anything we gave them was outside,” Smith said.
Early in the half, Campbell picked up her second yellow card of the game. She was called for kicking at the keeper after the ball had been secured. She had been given a yellow earlier in the game when she thought Rangeley had touched the ball on a free kick and was called for encroachment. The Bucks were forced to play much of the second half down a player.
Buckfield still managed to create some opportunities. The Bucks even tried to energize things up front by moving Damon out of the goal and putting her on offense. Litchfield had a try at a loose ball in front, but Royce made the save. Damon ripped a hard shot that was saved. Rangeley was solid defensively and managed to counter enough to create their chances at the other end.
“We played defensive-minded against Richmond,” Morin said of the team’s loss to the Bobcats last week. “We only lost 2-0. So in our head, it was like Richmond again.”
kmills@sunjournal.com
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