Mt. Blue’s Adelle Foss (24) goes after the ball against Skowhegan’s Hannah McKenney (9) as Hannah Minns (20) and Skowhegan goalie Leah Savage watch in a field hockey game in Farmington on Thursday.
FARMINGTON — Skowhegan’s speed, agility and ferocity were all challenges that Mt. Blue couldn’t overcome in Thursday’s field hockey game.
Sure, the Cougars had more than a handful of scoring chances, but Skowhegan took advantage of its opportunities and walked away with a 6-0 victory.
The no-nonsense Indians put two goals in the net just two minutes apart in the opening minutes of the first half. By the time halftime rolled around, the quick-and-stealthy Indians were leading 5-0.
“We had plenty of chances. Yes!” Mt. Blue coach Jody Harmon said. “When we attacked the ball and went to the ball, went after it, we were successful.
“And when we hung back and we were flat … we just can’t do that. You can’t play against this team (like that). They are very quick. You gotta attack the ball. You have to go after it and when we did that, we were doing well.”
Fast-and-furious sophomore forward Alexis Michonski was Skowhegan’s point man on offense, scoring three goals for the afternoon.
Michonski put the Indians on the board first with her unassisted goal at 25:58 in the first half. Two minutes later, junior midfielder Maliea Kelso sent the ball back into the Mt. Blue net on an assist from senior co-captain Julia Steeves.
Skowhegan’s goals kept on coming, with its adamant defense holding off the fervent Cougars at the other end of the field.
“Today, I think we met a lot of our goals,” Skowhegan coach Paul Doughty said. “I think a lot of the pieces we have been working on came together today.”
The Cougars found it impossible to get the puck past Skowhegan goalie Leah Savage, who made nine saves.
“Leah has only played two years,” Doughty said. “I mean I have been trying to sell her to some college coaches. She doesn’t have the long resume, but she is amazing. She is just an outstanding athlete.
“And the other thing about Leah is her head. She stays so calm, so focused and that helps the whole defense.”
The Indians’ third goal came from Michonski, who punched in her second unassisted goal at 16:16.
Steeves scored Skowhegan’s fourth goal with help from a Kayla Furbush assist.
For good measure, Kelso topped off the Indians’ comfortable lead with her second goal without assistance to provide the Indians with a 5-0 lead.
But the Cougars didn’t seem shakened by Skowhegan’s offense or its large lead and kept gnawing away at the Indians in the second half.
“They weren’t going to give in,” Harmon said. “How many times have we scored that many goals in a game? We can do it again. It just didn’t go our way today.”
Michonski struck again in the second half with her third goal to complete the hat trick. Kelso picked up the assist on the play.
Skowhegan sophomore Alexis Michonski (14) shoots the ball past diving Mt. Blue goalie Erika McArthur in the first half of a field hockey game in Farmington on Thursday.
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