GARDINER — After a sluggish tie against Lewiston earlier in the week, the Skowhegan field hockey team needed a bounce-back game.

The River Hawks got one Friday, beating Gardiner 5-1 in a Class A/B crossover game at Hoch Field.

Faith Pease, a junior, scored three goals to lead Skowhegan (8-0-1). Kaitlyn Dufour, a freshman, added a goal, while sophomore Sydney Perkins had a goal and an assist. Senior Dasia Alberico set up two goals.

“We wanted to come out strong and prove that we’re still a strong team,” Alberico said. “We wanted to come out with good intensity and play as a team. That’s what we’ve been striving for the entire season.”

Senior Davyn Swindells scored the lone goal for the Tigers (7-3), while junior Zoe Sullivan-Brennan and senior Brynnlea Chaisson each added an assist.

How did they get there?

Renewed focus. Skowhegan, the No. 1 team in Class A North, admittedly looked past Lewiston on Monday, allowing the Blue Devils, now the No. 2 team in A North, to fight their way to a 2-2 tie.

“I think our teamwork (has been a strength),” Pease said. “We work really well together, and the team is really close. That helps us every game, just the connection we have.”

There was no looking past Gardiner on Friday, as Skowhegan slugged first with a goal from Pease for a 1-0 lead.

After Gardiner tied the game, the River Hawks scored four unanswered goals – two from Pease, along with goals from Perkins and Dufour .

“We took advantage when we got in the circle, but in the middle of the field, we’re still a step behind than we were when we started the season,” Skowhegan coach Paula Doughty said. “We’ve had a lot of injuries and sickness, so people have been playing different positions. I think the chemistry just got rattled a little. I saw spurts of things I like, then I saw spurts of what the heck are we doing. But my biggest joy was, once we got in the circle, we scored.”

Skowhegan also got tremendous play from freshman goalkeeper Michelle Williams, who had eight saves.

“You can’t teach goalie,” Doughty said. “You either have one who has tremendous talent or not. She’s the most talented goalie we’ve had in a long time.”

Gardiner, the No. 5 team in Class B North, gave great fight throughout. The Tigers outshot the River Hawks, and also had an 11-2 advantage in penalty corners.

“I don’t think the score reflected the game, I think we dominated the game,” said Gardiner coach Jess Merrill. “The (problem) all season is we have not been able to finish. We have not been able to finish consistently. We had lots of breakdowns in the defensive end and (Skowhegan) knew where to place the ball.”

Added Doughty: “I think Gardiner is fast and quick. They never gave up. When two or three goals went in, they kept playing hard. They got in front of our kids all day long. I thought they played a really stellar game.”

What does this mean?

With the season more than half over, Skowhegan continues to have a firm grip of the No. 1 spot in A North. The River Hawks have some tough games near the end of the regular season, including an Oct. 13 game against No. 4 Mt. Ararat (5-2-1) and an Oct. 18 battle against No. 3 Messalonskee (7-2).

Gardiner will have to pick itself up quickly from Friday’s loss. The Tigers take on Belfast, the defending Class B champion, on Tuesday. The Lions (10-0) are ranked No. 1 in B North.

“I’d hope we’d be finishing at this point in the season, but it gives us a couple of points in practice (to focus on),” Merrill said. “We’ve still got a long way to go. It gives us the opportunity to focus on the defense and where those breakdowns occurred. Hopefully we fix them going into Belfast on Tuesday.”

Statistical leaders

Skowhegan: Faith Pease (3 goals), Sydney Perkins (1 goal, 1 assist), Dasia Alberico (2 assists), Michelle Williams (8 saves)

Gardiner: Davyn Swindells (goal), Zoe Sullivan-Brennan (assist), Brynnlea Chaisson (assist), Emma Jean (7 saves)