Erskine beats Gardiner in KVAC B North girls soccer battle

Gardiner’s Ceri Pierce, left, and Erskine’s Jackie Sasse battle for the ball during the Eagles’ 2-1 win on Tuesday in Gardiner. (Anna Chadwick/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image

GARDINER — A Gardiner goal against the run of play Tuesday was about the only nick the Erskine Academy girls soccer team has taken over the past two weeks.

Leave it to the Eagles, though, to find a way through against Gardiner, playing tough defense of its own — twice, in fact. Kelsie Dunn and Olivia Childs scored to guide Erskine to a 2-1 victory over the Tigers in at Hoch Field.

“It was a great game all the way around,” said Erskine coach Mike Falla. “We really controlled the midfield — I thought we did that even better than I expected. It’s really going to set the tone for the rest of our season.”

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Eagles (9-2) exploited the left flank. Dunn scored less than three minutes into the second half when she found space on the left side and found the roof of the net near-post. With 12:36 to go, Childs made a similar run and placed the ball just inside the right post for the winner.

• Erskine, as Falla said, owned the midfield. The Eagles played much of the game in the final two-thirds, preventing Gardiner (7-3) from making too many runs forward and, eventually, producing the space needed for the goals that would earn them a fifth consecutive win.

“We’ve always been good about bouncing back because we never let down or get too down on ourselves,” Dunn said. “We did a great job passing today and getting to the balls. Drew (Clark) gets to every single ball; she always gives 100 percent.”

WHAT IT MEANS

• Erskine continues to be a factor in Class B North because of its defense. The Eagles, led by Maine Soccer Coaches All-Region selection Jackie Sasse, have posted four straight clean sheets this season. They limited Gardiner to three shot on target on Tuesday.

• The Eagles are well-positioned for the playoffs. Erskine entered the day tied with Gardiner for fifth in Class B North but has moved past Skowhegan and Presque Isle as the regular season hits the home stretch.

“It was a great game, and Gardiner needed it just as much as we did,” Falla said. “Our whole season has been bookended by tough teams, and to be able to win against those teams, that’s huge as you get closer to the playoffs.”

GARDINER’S GOAL A BEAUTY, TOO

It was going to take something special to score against Erskine, and with 6:37 left in the first half, Gardiner got it. After the Tigers won a free kick just outside the box, Sophia Marrone played a slow-rolling ball to Catherine Mansir, who beat the offside trap and scored from close range.

“That was something we discussed after our first game this season, so it was fun to see the girls execute something we talked about weeks ago,” said Gardiner coach Jess Prince. “It was a beautiful ball from Soph and a great finish by Catherine.”