Lewiston senior midfielder Emma Paquette (3) kicks the ball past Mt. Blue sophomore midfielder Emma White (14) in a soccer game at Caldwell Field in Farmington on Thursday. (Tony Blasi/Sun Journal)
FARMINGTON — Belting out the national anthem and kicking in the game-winning goal in double overtime was all in an evening’s work for Mt. Blue sophomore midfielder Emma White at Caldwell Field.
White booted the ball from about 20 yards out and it slipped under the crossbar and into the net to earn the Cougars a 3-2 victory over the Lewiston Blue Devils in a girls’ soccer game on a chilly Thursday.
Junior midfielder Lexi Mittelstadt got the assist on White’s stunning goal with 4:03 left in the second overtime.
But White confessed that she wasn’t sure where her shot was headed after the ball left her foot.
“Honestly, I had no clue,” White said. “I just saw it go through my teammate’s legs after the cross from Lexi.
“I said, ‘Oh my gosh. No one’s there. I have time.’ I saw the girl coming (for the ball), but I just went for it. I cried. It feels really good and I am super-excited.”
The Cougars’ prospects looked grim after Brie Dube scored an unassisted goal to put the Blue Devils up 2-0 at the 28:06 mark of the second half.
Mt. Blue started pressing and pushing its way down toward Lewiston territory despite being stymied by the Blue Devils’ defense.
“We’ve had some lack of motivation this season,” Mt. Blue assistant coach Griffin Conlogue said. “It is tough starting off the season playing the best teams in your league, and you kind of fall into that rut where you are losing a lot. We felt low with that. Just this week, we focused a lot on changing that attitude and that motivation. They came out with a different energy than we’ve seen this season and that was a huge difference tonight.
“(Emma) had another shot like that earlier this season, and for a lot of our younger girls to put the ball in the net was great.”
The Cougars didn’t get frustrated Thursday, and their efforts were rewarded with their first goal of the game with 17:57 left in the second half Freshman midfielder Hannah Wilbur scored on senior midfielder Macey Phillips’ assist to help Mt. Blue close in on Lewiston.
With 8:29 left in the game, Phillips punched in the tying goal on freshman Eryn Parlin’s assist.
The teams fought through a scoreless first overtime without settling the matter.
The Blue Devils owned the first half and took a 1-0 lead when Megan St. Cyr scored on a penalty shot after the Cougars received a handball penalty.
“So I give Mt. Blue credit because they played their hearts out,” Lewiston coach Brant Remington said. “They had more heart. They didn’t quit.
“I commend them. I have a lot respect for Fred, their coach, because they played with a lot of heart.”
Mt. Blue senior defender Katie Brittain (10) swoops in and kicks the ball down the field as teammate Ashley Kenney (28) and Lewiston’s sophomore forward Sara Robert (14) and Megan St. Cyr (6) watch in a soccer game Thursday evening. (Tony Blasi/Sun Journal)
Lewiston goalie Gemma Landry reaches to stop a shot by Mt. Blue’s Emma White (14) as teammate Bradie Reynolds (12) and Lewiston’s Leah Landry (23) look on in a soccer game in Farmington on Thursday. (Tony Blasi/Sun Journal)
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