LEWISTON — Just like last year, top-seeded Monmouth had to face ninth-seeded Sacopee Valley in the Class C South girls soccer quarterfinals, with the visiting Hawks coming off a preliminary-round victory over an eighth-seeded Madison team.
Unlike last year, the Mustangs avoided the upset, finishing off the Hawks 5-4 behind a hat trick from Alicen Burnham at Lewiston High School’s artificial-turf Don Roux Field on Tuesday.
The Mustangs (15-0-0) had the best scoring chances early, but it was the Hawks (9-3-4) who found the back of the net first. A low cross into the box slipped out of the hands of diving Monmouth goalie Emma Johnson, and the Mustangs failed to clear the loose ball far enough out of the box. Gabby Jamerson-Martin was there to send the ball back in, and the shot rolled past Johnson and inside the right corner of the goal.
Monmouth quickly answered with a shot of its own inside the right post. Audrey Fletcher got past two defenders in the box and tied the game with a low strike past Kylie Day that snuck inside the frame.
The goals kept coming, with the Hawks going back ahead on Lakyn Hink’s 20-yard shot, only for Burnham to tie it for Monmouth less than two minutes later on a cross from the right side that went off Day’s gloves and in. The first four goals all happened in the span of 7:19 midway through the opening half.
The Mustangs took their first lead with 7:30 to play before halftime. Fletcher’s corner kick deflected out to Burnham, whose shot toward goal was put in by Anna Lewis.
Monmouth scored an insurance goal midway through the second half, but the Hawks responded less than two minutes later. Burnham made it 4-2 with a back-to-the-goal volley shot after Fletcher’s direct kick to the right of the box went off Day’s gloves.
Hink scored her second goal off a long direct kick, which went over a scrum in the box and the Monmouth clear attempt went short to Hink, who had an open goal to shoot into.
Fletcher and Burnham connected again for a goal to re-gain a two-goal advantage for Monmouth. Fletcher’s direct kick from outside the top-left corner of the box went off Day, and a charging Burnham deflected the ball into an open goal with 17:16 remaining.
Hink completed a hat trick by scoring off a corner kick before the final buzzer to round out the scoring.
The four goals against were more than the Mustangs had allowed combined all season, with just three goals getting past them all season.
Johnson finished with seven saves, while Day turned away eight shots.
The Mustangs next face fourth-seeded Maranacook in the semifinals.
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