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FREEPORT — The Freeport field hockey team had 13 chances to score via penalty corner Monday, but the Winthrop/Maranacook defense didn’t budge.

It wasn’t until the Ramblers attempted their only penalty corner early in the third quarter that the Falcons finally got their break.

Freeport junior forward Lydia Porter deflected a Winthrop pass into the shooting circle that senior forward Liza Flower scooped up, racing nearly 70 yards before passing the ball back to Porter right in front of the cage to break a scoreless game.

Flower scored two goals of her own in the final 3:28 of the fourth quarter to lift Class B Freeport to a 3-0 win over Class C Winthrop.

Freeport (6-0) recorded its fourth straight shutout. Winthrop (5-3) has lost back-to-back games to a higher-class opponent.

Like they did in Friday’s 2-0 loss to Class A Messalonskee, the Ramblers kept the game scoreless in the first half.

“These games are the building blocks for our postseason,” Winthrop coach Melissa Perkins said. “We want to be challenged in our crossover games. It’s only going to make us better. We did some things really, really well, and we had a few mistakes. Those are the things that we’ll learn from and we’ll tighten up. So I think playing a team like Freeport exposes that, and that’s good for us.”

Cyara Harriman saved seven shots for Winthrop. Freeport goalie Maddie Kryzek did not face a shot.

Freeport coach Marcia Wood said her team did not know much about its opponent’s playing style, so it forced the Falcons to adapt to the strong defense and low sticks on the fly.

“This is what we needed,” Wood said. “I know it was a little nerve-wracking at the beginning, but we have been wanting something to give us a little more competition (and) push us a little bit to see how we react to it.”

Freeport put four shots on goal in the first half, but only one of the six penalty corners included a shot on target. At halftime, Wood asked her team why shots weren’t getting past the back line. 

“‘They’re just all in there, everyone’s stick is down, we just can’t get past that line of defense,’” Wood said the team told her. “So we have to kind of beat them in a fast break if we want to get past that. Because once they were in there and set, they were really good.”

Flower used her speed and stick skills to push the attack and create chances in the first half, but couldn’t capitalize until 13:37 left in the third. 

“We’ve been working on our spacing (during defensive corners), and I think we were all right where we needed to be, and I was just coincidentally there, so it worked out,” Flower said. “In the moment, it’s kind of just all adrenaline. And Lydia was right there. It was perfect.”

Flower’s first goal came with 3:28 to go when she intercepted a Winthrop clear near the right side of the cage and sent it right back. Her second goal was a hard shot with 1:51 remaining.

Wood said she can get caught watching Flower maneuver through defenders while somehow maintaining control of the ball.

“It’s just pretty to watch,” Wood said. “(Flower’s) everywhere on the field, and I think that’s part of our defense. Granted, we have our defenders there, but our middies are all really solid too, you know, starting with (Lizalyn Boudreau), and then Abby (Cormier) and (Lilliana Larochelle) have just been playing great. (Flower’s) fun to watch.”