The Bangor High School girls soccer team tuned up for the Class A North playoffs by extending its winning streak to seven games with an impressive 7-1 win over Hampden Academy on Wednesday night at Cameron Stadium.
Senior striker Emmie Streams collected a hat trick, sophomore attacking midfielder Teagan Atherley added a pair of goals and the Rams also received goals from junior forward Lily Chandler and junior midfielder Mimi Quinn.
Streams was one of eight seniors honored on Senior Night along with Samantha Erb, Anna Connors, Maddie Tritt, Ashley Schultz, Taylor King, Abbie Quinn and Emma McNeil.
The Rams, who finished the regular season at 9-1-4 and earned the second seed for the playoffs behind Brunswick, have now scored 32 goals during their winning streak after scoring just four in their previous five games.
Senior midfielder Olivia Airey scored for the Broncos, who lost their fourth in a row and concluded a 3-9-2 campaign.
“This was a good way to end the regular season,” Streams said. “We played pretty well. We’re starting to come together and starting to finish.”
Bangor coach Andrew Varisco said a lot of trust has been built between the players, they are setting each other up, and they are finishing their chances now.
Hampden Academy coach Chris Hink said he was proud of his team’s effort but noted that they ran into a formidable team.
“They’re very good. Our girls didn’t let down but Bangor had a few six-minute runs where they scored their goals. They score in bunches. That’s what they do,” Hink said.
Pivotal plays: In a 6-1 win over Oxford Hills of South Paris six days ago, Streams missed several breakaways.
But she scored on a pair of them, one in each half, on Wednesday night.
“I learned what not to do on a breakaway in that game,” said Streams, who calmly slotted the ball home with her two chances on Wednesday.
On her other goal, a long shot by Olivia Scott was swatted aside by Hampden Academy goalkeeper Logan Daigle but the hard-working Streams was able to poke it home from close range.
Streams also assisted on Atherley’s goal in the first half as she whipped a low cross across the goalmouth to Atherley, who missed her first attempt before pouncing on the loose ball and tapping it past Daigle, who had come out to try to smother it.
McNeil and sophomore Eva Coombs combined for three saves on nine Hampden Academy shot attempts while Daigle and Gracie Baker teamed up for nine saves on 28 Bangor shots.
Big takeaway: Bangor has become much more prolific since Streams was moved up from attacking midfielder to striker. She has been able to use her quickness, tenacity and skill to create chances for her teammates and finish opportunities of her own.
Connors, who plays on the wing, said they have been working on their finishing and it is paying off.
Streams said notching a hat trick in the last regular season game will give her a nice shot of confidence to take into the playoffs.
Up next: The Rams will entertain No. 7 Oxford Hills in Tuesday’s 4 p.m. Class A North quarterfinal at Cameron Stadium.
Oxford Hills was 8-5-1 in the regular season.
