READFIELD — Last season, the Maranacook girls soccer team missed out on the Class C South regional final for the first time since 2017. After Saturday’s semifinal round, the Black Bears won’t be turning last year’s shortcoming into a new trend.

Top-seeded Maranacook used its quick offensive attack and swarming defensive pressure to beat fourth-seeded Traip Academy, 2-1.

“We’re just so excited,” junior midfielder Celia Bergdahl said. “It just feels so great to be back after an off year. Energy’s high.”

“It was a hard game, but we played our hearts out,” added junior forward Phoebe Bell. “I’m super proud of the whole team. We’re just super excited for Wednesday.”

The final will take placeWednesday at Edward Little High School in Auburn. Maranacook will face the winner of No. 2 Hall-Dale (11-0-4) and No. 3 North Yarmouth Academy (12-3).

Bell gave the Black Bears (14-0-2) an early lead, putting Evelyn Stevenson’s pass from the right side of the box into the left corner of the net during the seventh minute. Alice Ferran then extended the home team’s lead in the 35th minute by heading in a corner kick from Bergdahl.

“It was really key to get the early goal on the cross, and the two ways we scored was what we talked about a lot this week in practice,” Maranacook head coach Travis Magnusson said. “Because they have a really good goalie, we think they have one of the best goalies around, we knew we had to be patient and take good shots. Both of those — no goalie is going to save those with the cross and the arc off the corner kick — they executed really well for sure.”

Despite being down two goals, the Rangers (12-3-1) did not roll over. During the halftime break, head coach Mike Jackson instructed his players to take advantage of the green space in between the goal and the Maranacook back line, which had grown larger during the course of the first 40 minutes.

Traip was able to use this to its advantage as Jacqueline Diallo was fouled in the penalty area while chasing down a through ball in the 45th minute. Senior forward Keira Alessi scored on the penalty kick and gave the visitors a new sense of urgency. The Black Bears, however, were unfazed, intercepting passes in the midfield and maintaining long possessions in the attacking half.

“I think what was important for us was to just stay calm under pressure and not get stressed out,” Bell said. “Play the ball where we want to play.”

Maranacook outshot Traip 10-6, and took two corner kicks compared to none for the Rangers. Lily Stuart saved eight shots for the Rangers, and Devyn Eliasen saved five shots for the Black Bears.

“They’re a tough team to play against, and they’re good, but I don’t feel out played, out worked,” Jackson said. “I think it was a pretty even game, and I feel you need breaks sometimes to get a big win. You need a break here and there. I just don’t feel like we got any breaks.”