BANGOR, Maine – The Bangor High School girls soccer team and the Mt. Ararat High School Eagles from Topsham showed why they each went into Tuesday’s Class A North match-up at Cameron Stadium with a 5-0 record.
The two highly-skilled and tenacious teams put on an entertaining show with the Rams receiving a goal and an assist from junior midfielder Teagan Atherley en route to a hard-fought 2-0 victory.
Sophomore forward Clara Oldenburg had the other goal for the Rams and junior goalie Eva Coombs made six saves on 16 Mt. Ararat shot attempts.
Mt. Ararat senior goalie Calista Kinney also finished with six saves on 10 Bangor shots.
Both goalkeepers turned in outstanding outings, making a number of quality saves.
Mt. Ararat had scored at least four goals in all five of its wins but Bangor’s fullbacks, led by speedy freshman Jo Jo Clukey, were able to limit the Eagles to just a handful of high-percentage scoring chances despite being under pressure for segments of the game.
Bangor also had spells of sustained pressure on the Eagles in the back-and-forth affair and had a similar amount of high-percentage chances.
“It was a great team win,” said Bangor coach Jay Kemble. “The kids played with great heart and intensity. And for such a big game, they played with poise.
“Mt. Ararat is a good team. They have skilled players all over the place and they’ve got kids who can run. It was two good teams battling. Both teams made some good runs. The question was could you stop them when they made a run and vice versa,” Kemble added.
Mt. Ararat coach Kevin Flaherty said it was a “really good matchup physically and technically. They are both really good sides. We had our chances. I was really proud of our girls. They played hard. The effort was there. We will see them again [in the playoffs].”
Atherley, daughter of University of Maine women’s soccer head coach Scott Atherley and wife Lynn, scored what proved to be the game-winner 11:17 into the game.
Mimi Quinn sent a ball from the back to Olivia Scott and Scott put it over to the streaking Atherley at the top of the penalty area.
“I knew I had a player on my back and I figured if I took another touch, she might intercept it so I tried to chip it over the ‘keeper,” said Atherley, who rifled a rising shot into the top corner to Kinney’s right.
Late in the half, Coombs made a nice save on a high, powerful shot by sophomore striker Julianna Allen from the right side off a feed from standout junior midfielder Islah Godo.
Kinney made an important stop late in the half when Scott gave Oldenburg a nice through ball and she hit a low shot from the top of the penalty area.
Mt. Ararat had some early possession in the second half, but the Rams expanded their lead off a counter attack 9:10 into the half as Atherley sent Oldenburg in alone down the right side, and she calmly slid the ball into the far corner to Kinney’s right.
“I saw Teagan going down the field with the ball so I thought I would make a run to the outside in case she didn’t have a shot or I could get into position for a rebound. The person marking me pinched over toward her so I was open and she gave me a great ball,” said Oldenburg.
The Rams did an impressive job protecting the lead, swarming the ball and making sure nobody was left open.
Kinney kept Mt. Ararat within striking distance with back-to-back saves off Lily Chandler with 25 minutes remaining.
Stellar center back Quinn sustained an ankle injury late in the first half, so junior Azylnn Gifford was moved back to defense from right wing to join Clukey, junior J.J. Williams and sophomore Avery Clark on the back line in the second half.
“We tried to stay compact and make sure everyone was marked at all times,” said Clukey, who used her quickness time and time again to disrupt Mt. Ararat attacks.
Moments before Atherley’s goal, the dangerous Allen made a crafty run to get some separation only to have Clukey slice across the field at the last second to knock the ball away from her just as she was going to shoot.
Both teams will play again on Friday.
Bangor will host Edward Little High of Auburn at 6 and Mt. Ararat will entertain Camden Hills of Rockport at 7.