WATERVILLE — When Messalonskee beat Skowhegan earlier this season, it was a shocker — the first time the Indians had lost since 2009.
When the Eagles beat Skowhegan in the rematch, it was something even greater — a tribute to all the girls who make up the Messalonskee field hockey team.
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Less than 48 hours after the death of Messalonskee girls soccer player Cassidy Charette, the Eagles gave a stellar performance in a 4-2 victory on Monday morning at Thomas College.
“That is the best game we’ve ever played as a team,” Messalonskee coach Katie McLaughlin said. “I, hands-down, could not be prouder of these girls. We spent all day Sunday as a team together — holding each other, crying, really trying to figure out how we’re going to move forward, especially with the last two weeks at school and all our circumstances.
“The girls had every excuse in the world today to not play well. And they came together and worked as one whole unit better than I’ve ever seen a team do.”
Charette was killed in a hayride accident on Saturday night in Mechanic Falls, less than two weeks after another Messalonskee student committed suicide. Messalonskee star forward Emily Hogan, who was also on the hayride Saturday, did not play in Monday’s game.
“We just wanted to play our hearts (out), because we know Cassidy would have got one more soccer game, and she would have just given it her all,” said Messalonskee senior Brooke Quirion, who scored the game-winning goal and also had an assist. “Emily’s always in our thoughts. We knew how bad she wanted to be on the field, but she just couldn’t. So we just wanted to play our best for her and Cass.”
The Messalonskee players each wore headbands with No. 11 — Charette’s soccer uniform number — and the Eagles took a 1-0 lead when Quirion set up Ally Leighton just 3:28 into the game. Skowhegan (12-2) tied the score at 23:07, as Rylie Blanchet blasted one in from the top of the circle on a penalty corner.
The Eagles (12-2) had a few other corners in the first half, but Skowhegan back Tori Mullin broke up two of them. The Indians earned a corner in the final seconds, and when it was played out after time expired, Lauren LeBlanc sent one in and Skowhegan had a 2-1 lead at the half.
“During halftime, we knew that we were playing just as well,” Quirion said. “We just knew that we had to get going on our corners, and just do our best.”
Messalonskee struck again at the start of the second half, with Nathalie St. Pierre converting a pass from Ally Corbett at 27:18. Skowhegan earned three corners in the next five minutes, but Messalonskee freshman Haley Lowell kept disrupting the corners from her flier position. The Indians had one chance by Renee Wright sail just wide left, but Messalonskee would not allow another corner or good scoring opportunity over the final 20 minutes.
The Eagles took the lead for good with 18:03 left when they scored on a corner. Riley Field received the insertion pass at the top of the circle, and slid a pass to Lowell on the left side. Lowell drilled one toward the right post, and Quirion was there to chip it in to make it 3-2.
Messalonskee added another goal when Lydia Dexter knocked one it with 10:46 remaining. The Eagles nearly put in a fifth goal, but St. Pierre was denied when Skowhegan goalie Leah Kruse dove to her right and batted the ball away.
“I thought, Messalonskee, this was the best game I’ve ever seen them play,” Skowhegan coach Paula Doughty said. “We’ve got to get on some turf and practice, that’s for sure. But you know, it just wasn’t our day. When days like this happen, you just put it behind you, and you start again.”
On the other side, it definitely was Messalonskee’s day. And after all the community has endured recently, you could make a very good case that these girls deserved it.
“You’ve got to give Messalonskee credit,” Doughty said. “After going through what they’ve gone through, to come out and play like that today was something really special.”
Matt DiFilippo — 861-9243
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