Girls' Soccer: Lutrzykowski leads St. Dom's to a double overtime win over Sacopee Valley

Sacopee Valley’s Riley Vacchiano (16) boots the ball past St. Dominic Academy’s Olivia Hallee during their match in Auburn on Friday.

AUBURN — The St. Dominic Academy girls’ soccer team had chance after chance to end their game against Sacopee Valley in regulation, but couldn’t convert.

The same can be said for the first overtime.

Finally, in the second extra frame, the Saints’ persistence paid off. After a turnover near midfield, defender Emma Theriault volleyed the ball over a cluster of players trying to change direction. She placed it where only two players could get it — Saints junior forward Avery Lutrzykowski and a Hawks defender.

Lutrzykowski shook off the defender and had goaltender Kylie Day in her sights. Day did her best to stay with Lutrzykowski, but the shifty striker moved to her left as Day dove and put the ball into the open net to give St. Dom’s a 1-0 victory at 2:52 of double overtime.

“When we come into games, we look at it as 80 miles, or in this case 90 miles, because it went into double overtime,” Lutrzykowski said. “We look it at that (way) and even if we have chances in the first ten minutes, then we are going to have chances all game. We just need to put one in to win.”

With the victory, St. Dom’s improves to 6-6-1 with one game remaining in the regular season against North Yarmouth Academy on Tuesday.

St. Dom’s coach Patrick Keary was happy to see Theriault set up the game-winning goal after having chances to do so throughout the game.

“She’s been outstanding so far,” Keary said. “She has been an absolute rock in the back, and she goes forward and helps us out.”

The Saints had two glorious chances, one coming at the end of regulation on an indirect kick with 20 seconds to play. There was confusion while the Saints tried to set up the play and the officials stopped the clock with 2.8 seconds remaining because the Hawks weren’t giving the Saints 10 yards between the ball and their wall. After a tap to put the ball in play, Theriault’s offer struck that wall of players as time expired.

A similar situation nearly happened at the end of the first overtime. St. Dom’s was again awarded a free kick just outside the box with fewer than 30 seconds remaining. The Saints were more composed as the time was ticking down and got the kick off with 11 seconds remaining. Day made a breadbasket save, one of her seven in the loss.

Goaltending and defense have been the Hawks’ strength this season.

“My goalie, she’s a freshman, super composed all season,” Sacopee Valley coach Brian Hink said. “She has grown, my defense and my keeper has been what kept us in all our games this year. Without them, we definitely wouldn’t have a chance like we do. They held off this very good team. It seemed like they have a lot of experience.”

In the first half, the Saints almost jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first ten minutes, missing an open net on a corner kick at the 7:52 mark, and then two minutes later missing a rebound after the ball slipped through Day’s hands.

“We’ve struggled to get goals recently, but I’ve liked the attitude of persistence to keep on going,” Keary said. “They fully deserved the goal at the end.”

At the other end of the pitch, Saints’ own freshman keeper Hannah Kenney had to make a couple of key saves to keep the game scoreless. One of them included a ball that was going into the upper 90, but Kenney was able to punch it out of harm’s way with a diving save. She had eight saves on the afternoon.

Rebecca Zimmerman of St. Dominic Academy goes up to trap the ball in front of Sacopee Valley’s Bella Rand, right, during their match in Auburn on Friday.The ball slips through Sacopee Valley keeper Kylie Day’s hands as St. Dominic Academy’s Madison Samson waits for the ball on the goal line during their match in Auburn on Friday. Sacopee cleared the ball out of harm’s way on this play.St. Dominic Academy’s Avery Lutrzykowski (11) and Sacopee Valley’s Brynn Hink, center, watch as the Saints’ Emma Theriault boots the ball out of the defensive end during their match in Auburn on Friday.St. Dominic Academy’s Emma Theriault, left, clears the ball away from Sacopee Valley’s Lakyn Hink during their match in Auburn on Friday.St. Dominic Academy’s Payton Winslow, left, and Sacopee Valley’s Coral Hartford chase the ball during their match in Auburn on Friday.Sacopee Valley’s Gabbi Black, back, heads the ball in front of St. Dominic Academy’s Raegan Hachey during their match in Auburn on Friday.St. Dominic Academy’s Rileigh Stebbins (4) battles with Sacopee Valley’s Lakyn Hink for the ball during their match in Auburn on Friday.Sacopee Valley’s Lakyn Hink, left, and St. Dominic Academy’s Madison Richard battle for the ball suring their match in Auburn on Friday.