WINSLOW — With high aspirations, the Winslow High School field hockey team hardly needs more motivation. But that’s what the Black Raiders got with Tuesday’s double overtime loss at Foxcroft Academy. On Thursday, Winslow used that as the spark to a dominant effort in a 5-0 win over rival Lawrence.
“Losing is tough, but we always want to come back from that,” junior Bodhi Littlefield said of the 1-0 loss at Foxcroft. Littlefield scored a hat trick Thursday, with senior Silver Clukey adding a pair of goals.
Winslow, the top team in the Class B North Heal Point standings, improved to 12-1. Lawrence, the No. 4 team in the region, is now 9-3.
Winslow’s Bodhi Littlefield, left, battles Lawrence defender Elsie Suttie for control of the ball during a Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B game Thursday in Winslow. Morning Sentinel photo by Rich Abrahamson
Winslow coach Mary Beth Bourgoin saw her team would learn from Tuesday’s loss when it arrived at practice Wednesday.
“They were very disappointed, but Foxcroft is a great team. They came in yesterday, and they were quiet but focused. They knew that a bounce back game is a big game, and it’s always a tough game against Lawrence. They’re tough, and scrappy,” Bourgoin said.
The Black Raiders got on the board early, when Littlefield scored on a rebound of her own shot with 25:29 left in the first half. With 3:58 to play in the half, Clukey tipped in a long Littlefield shot for a 2-0 lead.
Midway through the first half, Bourgoin implored Littlefield to be aggressive with a simple “Power, Bodhi!” yell. That’s the cue for Littlefield to just go, Bourgoin said.
“She’s so skilled, sometimes she looks, and I’m like, ‘Oh no. You’ve got the speed, you’ve got the power. Go. Get it up there,'” Bourgoin said.
With 21:03 left in the game, Littlefield used the power, firing a hard shot that was past Lawrence keeper Emma Poulin before she could move.
“It’s already a struggle coming here and playing Winslow. It’s a struggle anywhere you play them,” Lawrence coach Shawna Robinson said. “We’ve got to get over that mentally. We’ve got to get over that hump. We need to figure out how to get better. Today the better team won.”
Clukey and Littlefield each added one more goal for the final tally.
“I thought our communication was on the spot today. Also, our passing, the speed of the game we had today was unreal. A team effort today,” Littlefield said.
Leah Pelotte made six saves for Winslow. Poulin and Abby Townsend combined to make 16 saves for the Bulldogs. Lawrence had six penalty corners to Winslow’s four, but was unable to muster sustained offensive pressure.
“We have to put the ball in the net. That’s where we’re struggling right now,” Robinson said.
Added Bourgoin: “Our defense just stepped up. They’ve been stepping up every single game. Their communication is working. How they work together is fantastic.”
Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM
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