LEWISTON — It wasn’t as dramatic as last year’s Class C South regional semifinal game between Lisbon and St. Dominic Academy, which needed to be settled by penalty corners, but the result was the same.
Second-seeded Lisbon is heading back to the Class C South regional final after earning a 4-0 win over third-seeded St. Dom’s at Don Roux Field at Lewiston High School.
The Greyhounds (13-3) will play No. 1 Winthrop (13-2) for the right to go to the state championship Wednesday at Waterhouse Field in Biddeford. The Saints finish the season with a 12-1 record.
“Our goal was to pass the ball well and have intensity for the full 60 minutes — or more, if that’s what it took,” Lisbon coach Julie Petrie said. “I thought it was a good team win today.”
Laura Mockler continued her playoff dominance with another pair of goals, adding to the two she scored for the Greyhounds in Wednesday’s 4-0 quarterfinal victory over Boothbay.
“I am just knocking in the (ball) that my teammates hit over to me,” Mockler said. “I just make sure I am ready for their big hits they hit over to us (forwards).”
In the first eight minutes of the contest, the semifinal battle remained between the circles as both defenses cleared the ball when the other team’s offense got close enough for a scoring opportunity.
“I’d say the first 10 minutes, we did dominate more in our offensive end, which was awesome to see, but we couldn’t capitalize,” St. Dom’s coach Karli-An Holt said. “I feel like after that we really struggled to get the offense going.”
Miss. Maine Field Hockey finalist Haley Tuplin scored on the Greyhounds’ first penalty corner of the game with about 5:30 remaining in the first quarter.
Lisbon had a chance to add to its lead at the end of the first quarter on a penalty corner, but the Saints quickly cleared the ball out of the circle before the Greyhounds got off a shot off or had the chance to receive another corner with no time remaining.
The Greyhounds did strike again off a corner, but it took some work. St. Dom’s goalie Maia Cote initially held the goal line, but Mockler dug at a loose ball in the circle and jammed it into the goal for a 2-0 lead.
St. Dom’s had the ball in Lisbon’s circle at the end of the second quarter but only got off one shot on goal, which Greyhounds goalie Maria Levesque saved.
Mockler scored her second goal with about four minutes remaining in the third quarter during another scrum near the goal line.
The Saints pressed and got Levesque somewhat out of position, but she and the Lisbon defenders regrouped enough to stop a couple of St. Dom’s shots to keep the shutout intact.
“It was a great game; my defense had my back and was always there,” Levesque said. “I am grateful for them and they finished (the game) for us. I mean, I can’t score.”
Kayla Cooper extended Lisbon’s lead to 4-0 with a goal at the end of the third quarter.
Levesque (seven saves) continued to shut down any opportunities St. Dom’s generated in the fourth quarter to secure the shutout.
“The third quarter wasn’t our best, and I’d think if it was still 2-0, I’d like to hope we could have lit a little more of a fire for the fourth quarter,” Holt said. “But, it was not to be today.”
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