BATH — The Morse field hockey team capitalized on its scoring chances to blank Maranacook 5-0 in the season opener for both Thursday at McMann Field.

Morse, which had 16 shots on goal, received goals from three different scorers, including a pair from Kim St. Pierre and Paige Willis.

We had a great preseason and we wanted to come off the start of the season with a good showing and capitalize on the things that have been working well like passing and working well as a team,” Morse coach Kerri Reno said.

Each team spent the opening 10 minutes trying to shake some early nerves.

The Shipbuilders nearly scored just under the 20-minute mark when Willis centered the ball inside the circle, but it was knocked wide of the cage.

Soon after, St. Pierre blasted home a shot that beat Maranacook goalie Alyssa Pratt. 

Advertisement

I’m really excited to work with everyone this year so getting ahead in the game was important,” St. Pierre said.

Midway through the half, Maranacook’s Abbie Jacques picked up a loose ball and fired a shot toward the net, but the attempt went wide. Jacques also had another chance when she took away the ball at midfield and sprinted down the sideline, only to be forced away from the circle by the Morse defense.

She has got some wheels on her, I try to keep her in the middle because when she gets outside and into the open field, she’s tough to catch,” Maranacook coach Ashley Work said. 

Macey Coffin scored the next goal for the Shipbuilders after Willis centered one of her many balls to the front. Willis was rewarded with a goal of her own less than two minutes later.

Morse outshot the Black Bears 12-1 in the first half.  

Morse continued its surge in the second half, scoring six minutes into the frame when Willis tapped in an Addy Jung pass for the score. 

Advertisement

It’s so refreshing to see this group of girls work together and be able to have girls come off the bench and keep that intensity up,” said Reno. “I am not a big fan of subbing because it sometimes changes the level of play but having that option of them keeping that level of intensity is great.

St. Pierre added the final goal minutes later, firing a shot from the top of the circle for Morse’s fifth and final goal.

Maranacook only managed one shot on goal in the second half, which Morse goalie Emily Myers saved. Regardlessthe Black Bears coach likes the play of her young team.

They have been working very hard. I have a young team this year, half of them are freshman,” Work said. “We’re all still learning to work together but I think we were working very well together out there today.

Comments are not available on this story.

filed under: