AUBURN — Chalk up another win for what is becoming a solid candidate for turn-around team of the season in high school field hockey.

Faced with the prospect of a scoreless deadlock as time ticked off the clock in the second half, Jenessa Talarico converted on a penalty corner after a drive from Kelsey Dumond ricocheted off of EL keeper Amanda Williams’ pads to lift the Lewiston Blue Devils to a 1-0 victory over the rival Red Eddies at Sherwood Heights field on Saturday.

The goal came with only 4:24 remaining in regulation, and eight minutes after a similar play resulted in an overturned goal that momentarily stung Lewiston and halted its otherwise relentless attack.

“The first one they said we didn’t come outside of the circle (on the penalty corner), so they took it away,” Talarico said. “But the second one, it was off a corner again, and I got the rebound off the goalie’s pads and put it in.”

The victory lifts Lewiston to 4-0, the first time anyone on the team can remember as strong a beginning to the season.

“These girls have had to learn more fundamentals even though many of them have played varsity for a couple of years,” Lewiston coach Randy Richardson said. “I credit their willingness to learn and their desire to be better players and be a better team. They are some of the hardest-working athletes I’ve ever been affiliated with. I can’t think of any team that’s come further, faster, in such a short time.”

The uptick in skill was evident from the outset of the contest. The Blue Devils peppered Williams with 11 shots on goal in the first half.

“We had a lot more control this game,” Lewiston’s Sadie Poulin said. “We were patient with each other and that allowed us to make the passes.”

“We’re speading out a bit more, too,” Dumond added. “That allows us to get more passes, but better passes at the same time.”

Dumond had a couple of solid chances early, but Williams made a pair of great saves with her mitt to prevent Lewiston from taking the lead. All told, Williams made 14 saves.

“She did the same thing against Lawrence,” EL coach Greg Perkins said. “We lost that game in overtime, but she made those saves all game long. She’s our senior goalkeeper, she keeps us in ball games.”

In the second half, Lewiston kept up the pressure, but the Eddies’ defense and Williams continued to fend off the Devils’ attack.

“They’ve certainly progressed since last year,” Perkins said. “They’re bigger and stronger, and their passing I thought was excellent.”

On Lewiston’s eighth penalty corner of the game, Dumond drove the ball at the cage and Talarico thought she’d slammed home a goal for her squad, but officials got together after the initial ruling and determined the ball had not crossed the top of the circle after being put in play on the corner before being driven at goal, therefore negating the tally.

After a brief Edward Little run up field, Lewiston earned another pair of corners, converting on its 10th of the game on essentially the same play.

EL tried to make it interesting in the final minutes, getting its best chance of the game — and its only shot on goal — on a penalty corner inside of two minutes to play.

Lewiston keeper Ravon Palmer, untested all game, kept her composure.

“I was a little frightened because I didn’t know where my defense was,” Palmer said, “but I just knew what I was supposed to do on that drive.”

Lewiston will face its stiffest test yet with a trip to perennial power Skowhegan on Monday. The Blue Devils then have five days off before hosting Brunswick.

Edward Little plays back to back, hosting Oxford Hills Monday before traveling to Messalonskee on Tuesday.

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