Winthrop’s Aaliyah Wilson-Falcone (16) runs past Wiscasset’s Kateleen Trask (19) during MVC girls’ soccer action at Wiscasset on Wednesday. Wilson-Falcone scored a goal, but the Ramblers fell to the Wolverines, 3-1.
WISCASSET — Two evenly-matched teams took to the pitch Wednesday as Wiscasset hosted Winthrop in a Mountain Valley Conference girls’ soccer clash.
The game came down to which team was going to take advantage of scoring opportunities, something the host Wolverines and Grace Webber did better than the Ramblers in a 3-1 victory.
The win is Wiscasset’s third straight and gives it a 7-2 mark heading into Monday’s key road tilt at Monmouth Academy (3:30 p.m.).
Wiscasset, behind Webber’s heroics, claimed a 2-0 halftime lead despite being outshot (9-7).
Wolverines goaltender Lindsey Gordon did a solid job charging out of the goal, especially when she stopped Winthrop standout Aaliyah Wilson-Falcone on a clean breakaway from midfield. Gordon managed to smother Wilson-Falcone’s shot. The rebound was cleared out of danger by defenseman Sydnie Thayer.
Webber gave her team a 1-0 lead 11:47 into the game when she finished a lead pass from Sarah Foley, slipping a shot past Ramblers starting goaltender Brook Burnham (two saves).
“It was important to take advantage of those few chances,” Webber said. “We are having so much fun. We are staying positive, and that seems to be working for us.”
The teams traded opportunities from there. Gordon scooped up a low, bouncing shot from Madison Moore, and watched two solid chances from Wilson-Falcone sail wide of the net.
Webber doubled the Wiscasset lead with 6:48 left until halftime. Katelyn Main deflected a clear by Winthrop to the foot of Webber, who fired a shot into the right side of the net.
“Grace did well keeping the ball low and on net,” Wiscasset coach Duane Goud said. “For us, the first half was big. We have come out flat the last few games. Tonight, we came out ready to play.”
“My girls were aware of Webber. They played five up front, and we just couldn’t keep up with it,” Winthrop coach Jaynelle Smith said.
It took Webber just 4:35 of the second half to tally her third goal. She gathered the ball 30 yards from the Winthrop cage and sent a rising shot just over the fingertips of Ramblers second-half netminder Samantha Moody.
“They out-played us tonight, were quicker to the ball and it showed,” Smith, whose Ramblers fall to 4-5, said. “We shut down, honestly, and it was definitely not our best game. Wiscasset is an aggressive team.”
Down 3-0, Winthrop seemed to find some life as Wilson-Falcone carried the ball quickly along the sideline, cut toward the net and slipped a shot past the dive of Gordon to get the Ramblers on the board. The goal came with 23:44 remaining in regulation.
But, the Wiscasset defense stood tall from there, led by Maeve Blodgett, Arie Mills, Thayer, Ellie Pratt and Kateleen Trask. The Wolverines held the Ramblers to just three second-half shots, and Gordon finished with seven saves.
“We came together well tonight, and we seem to be playing well right now,” Goud said.
Winthrop held a 5-3 edge in corner kicks, along with a 12-11 shot advantage. Defensively, the Ramblers were paced by Pearl Bechard and Abby Shumway, along with midfielders Chloe Armillotte and Sara Condon.
The Ramblers host Mt. Abram on Friday at 3:30 p.m.
Wiscasset’s Gwen Webber (6) shields Winthrop’s Gabby Blanco (3) from the ball during an MVC girls’ soccer game on Wednesday at Wiscasset. Winthrop midfielder Chloe Armillotte looks downfield on a throw-in during an MVC girls’ soccer game at Wiscasset on Wednesday.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
