LEWISTON — The Skowhegan field hockey team managed to cling to its No. 1 spot in the Class A North standings on Monday night.

But it didn’t come without a fight.

Lewiston took a two-goal lead before the River Hawks scored answered in the second half as the teams played to a 2-2 tie at Don Roux Field.

“It’s definitely a crazy feeling to tie Skowhegan,” said Lewiston senior goalie Shelby Vallee, who had five saves. “In past years, we’ve lost 9-0, 10-0 (to Skowhegan), crazy numbers. It’s just crazy.”

Luci Tremblay and Ayannay Holloman scored for the Blue Devils (6-2-1), who are 6-0-1 in their last seven games. Lauren Cote added an assist.

“I think this is the first time in program history that we’ve ever had a lead against (Skowhegan),” Lewiston coach Jenessa Talarico said. “Overall, I think it’s a positive and a good confidence builder.”

Kaitlyn Dufour and Dasia Alberico each scored for the River Hawks (7-0-1), while Skylar Carter had an assist.

How did they get there?

• Penalty corners. All four goals were scored off penalty corners. Lewiston had just four shots on goal in regulation, but made the most of its early opportunities. Tremblay gave the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead early in the second quarter, knocking a shot off the pads of Skowhegan goalie Michelle Williams and into the cage. Seven minutes later, Holloman slipped a shot between Williams’ pads for the 2-0 score.

“We sometimes struggle to score in transition, so we have to make our corners count,” Talarico said. “We try to change which kids we use (on corners) to make us unpredictable.”

The Blue Devils were 2 for 4 on corners, while the River Hawks were 2 of 9.

• Skowhegan battled back in the second half. With 7:50 remaining in the third quarter, Dufour batted a pass from Carter into the cage to cut the lead to 2-1. In the fourth quarter, Alberico slipped a shot past Vallee in a scrum in front of the cage for the 2-2 tie.

“They didn’t show up ready to play, it’s a simple as that,” Skowhegan coach Paula Doughty said of her team. “They just thought we’d come down here and go through the motions. It took until halftime for them to decide, ‘Well, maybe we should play with them.'”

Doughty was quick to compliment Lewiston’s improved play.

“They’re great,” Doughty said.

What does this mean?

Skowhegan entered the game as the No. 1 seed in Class A North and should remain in its position after Monday night’s game. The River Hawks have picked up victories over Mt. Blue, Leavitt and Messalonskee among its seven wins.

Lewiston entered the game as the No. 3 seed in A North. With a win over Mt. Blue earlier this month and Monday’s tie with Skowhegan, the Blue Devils feel they have the pieces in place to make a run in the region.

“We’re coming more into games thinking that we’re going to win, not, ‘This team is going to beat us, this (other) team is going to beat us,” Vallee said. “We have to think more like, ‘We’re a part of this (upcoming) tournament and we’re good competitors.'”

They said it

• “I was so nervous. I was like, ‘I can’t even do this right now.’ But I trusted my team, trusted my defense and trusted my skills and we got through it.” — Shelby Vallee on how she got through the overtime periods.

• “It’s been a strange season. We had two starters out for a really long time. We’ve had (junior varsity) kids step up. We’ve had good games against (Messalonskee) and good games against Mt. Blue and Leavitt. I think today, they had the other kids back and thought (this game) would be a piece of cake.” — Paula Doughty, on how the season has started for Skowhegan.

Statistical leaders

• Skowhegan: Kaitlyn Dufour (1 goal), Dasia Alberico (1 goal), Skylar Carter (1 assist), Michelle Williams (4 saves)

• Lewiston: Luci Tremblay (1 goal), Ayannay Holloman (1 goal), Lauren Cote (1 assist), Shelby Vallee (5 saves)