GRAY — The offense clicked for the Gray-New Gloucester/Poland girls lacrosse team on Wednesday.
Behind Andrea Smith’s first-half hat trick and Ellie Steele’s own trio of goals, the 26ers defeated Fryeburg Academy 10-7 in the regular-season finale for both teams.
“(We) were working as a team and making good passes,” 26ers coach Emma Lafrance said. “We have worked all season on passing and catching, doing the basics. It paid off today.”
After Steele gave the 26ers (3-9) a 1-0 lead and Heather Shackford scored her first of two goals for the Raiders (0-12) to tie the game at 1-1, Gray-New Gloucester/Poland’s offense started to get in a groove.
Smith scored her first goal 6:44 into the first half, followed by Steele’s second of the game at the 9:51 mark, with Amalie Bowie recording the assist.
Steele said she’s grateful to her teammates for giving her the opportunity to score.
“I wouldn’t be able to do it without my teammates,” Steele said. “I (got) some assists from players (who play) attack. It was definitely a team effort. Like I said, I love this team.”
Smith scored two in a row to extend the 26ers’ lead to 5-1 midway through the opening half.
“I think we have come together on the attacking end,” Smith said. “At first, we were a little shaky there, but a lot of us have learned how to see each other, see the field, and overall connect better.”
Lafrance said the four-goal run was something the team needed.
“It was exciting for us,” Lafrance said. “We have had a tough season, so it was exciting to get up on the board by scoring some goals and see all our hard work pay off.”
The Raiders started to chip away at the deficit. Maddie Foreman scored twice in a 36-second span at the 16:16 mark and the 16:52 mark.
Foreman scored a game-high four goals and Shackford scored twice to pace the Raiders.
“They are both fantastic,” Fryeburg coach Chris Gaskin said. “This is Heather’s first time playing (this season), and she has improved a ton. I think offensively, we have a lot of weapons and a lot of players who can do good things.”
Emma McMahon scored from a free position by running in on Fryeburg goalie Eden Voter (eight saves) and firing from point-blank range to give the 26ers a 6-3 lead with about seven minutes remaining in the first half. That score stuck at halftime
Alexandria Bucci scored 31 seconds into the second half to give the 26ers a 7-3 lead.
Shackford scored her second of the game just past the three-minute mark to cut the deficit to 7-4.
Gray-New Gloucester/Poland went on another two-goal run with Steele completing her hat trick and Lexi Wallingford recording a goal 9:33 into the second half for a 9-4 lead. Wallingford finished with a goal and an assist.
Foreman responded again for the Raiders 14:14 into the second half, but Makenna Powell answered just over a minute later for the 26ers with a bounce shot past Voter for a 10-5 lead.
The Raiders put pressure on the 26ers in the final two minutes of the game. Foreman scored her fourth goal of the contest and Grace Porcaro beat 26ers goalie Malia Lewis (five saves) to cut the deficit to 10-7.
“They don’t stop battling,” Gaskin said. “I appreciate that about them. I am thankful I have a good group. That’s one thing I want to continue to instill, is keep going to the end.”
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