WATERVILLE — There was less at stake Tuesday night than there was the last time the Skowhegan and Messalonskee field hockey teams met on the turf at Thomas College. But you couldn’t tell by the way these Class A North rivals went at it.

With 3.5 seconds left in the first overtime period, Messalonskee senior Lydia Dexter slashed a reverse stick shot from 15 yards out that clanged off the boards in the right corner of the cage to give the Eagles a dramatic 3-2 victory.

Messalonskee finishes the regular season at 12-2 and in second place in the tournament standings while Skowhegan is 10-3-1.

The win avenges a 1-0 early season loss to the Indians, but the game in the back of the Messalonskee players minds was the overtime loss to the Indians in the regional final a year ago. And the level of play was just as high.

“It was crazy,” said Messalonskee senior midfielder Ally Corbett, who scored a game-tying goal with 7:34 left in regulation. “We just wanted redemption from the Eastern Maine’s last year. Same idea but we pulled it off this time.”

The Eagles controlled most of the play in the first half though neither team registered many shots on goal. Sophomore Autumn Littlefield — stationed at the right post — tipped in a hard from Corbett to stake the Eagles to a 1-0 lead at the half.

“I have to give huge credit to Autumn Littlefield in this game,” Messalonskee coach Katie McLaughlin said. “Her stops in the back end and her offensive push when I moved her up . . . she just did an awesome job.”

The Indians didn’t roll over. They stormed the Eagles at the end of the field in the second half and tied the game at 1-all seven minutes into the period when sophomore Mariah Dunbar tipped home a pass from Maliea Kelso. They took the lead at the 11:40 after a nice run by Julia Steeves down the right side. The junior forward passed across the goalmouth to uncovered freshman Alexis Michonski to put Skowhegan up 2-1.

“We’re a very young team,” Skowhegan coach Paula Doughty said “We’re starting three seniors. Our younger kids are getting better all the time. I was super pleased how our kids played today. This could have been a state championship game. Both of these teams are amazing.”

Corbett tied the game when she took a feed from Dexter off a penalty corner and rifled it into the back of the cage. The Eagles controlled most of the 7 on 7 overtime period. They gained a penalty corner with 10 seconds left but the play didn’t go as planned.

“We actually flubbed up the corner,” Dexter said. “It was supposed to be a straight shot right to Autumn Littlefield. I happened to get it. That was just my last effort, barely no time left on the clock. I just tried to get my reverse stick as quick as I could. And I was lucky enough to get the goal right there.”

Related Stories