Ponies roll past Hermon, 7-0, in quarterfinals

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Foxcroft Academy field hockey team was a consistent offensive force throughout its Penobscot Valley Conference regular season, averaging more than five goals per contest.

It was more of the same for the top-ranked Ponies as they began postseason play Oct. 19 using four goals in the first 22 minutes of play to pull away to a 7-0 victory over Hermon in their Class B North quarterfinal.

Senior Alli Bourget – who was hospitalized briefly the day before with migraines – bounced back to pace Foxcroft’s offense with three goals and an assist, bringing her season’s goal total to 38. Classmate Becca Anderson added two goals and an assist, and sophomore Kylie Dow and freshman Jemyni True also scored for the Ponies.

Abbi Bourget – Alli Bourget’s twin sister – contributed three assists to the Foxcroft attack. Freshman Cassidy Marsh also had an assist in support of freshman goalkeeper Abbie Moore, who backstopped the Ponies to their sixth consecutive shutout and 11th of the season.

“Obviously we put the ball in the cage, which is what we needed to do,” said Foxcroft coach Stephanie Smith, whose team is seeking its first regional crown since winning the 2013 Class C state championship.

“I felt like we had a few defensive breakdowns and just seemed maybe nerved up because the usual things we do – going around opponents and using our stickwork – we kind of lacked today,” she said.

The victory improved Foxcroft’s record to 15-0 and left the Ponies as one of just two undefeated and untied teams statewide this fall along with Class B South top seed and two-time defending state champion York, 15-0 and the winner of 51-straight matches overall after its 8-0 quarterfinal victory over Freeport.

Ninth-seeded Hermon, which upended No. 8 Waterville 2-0 in the preliminary round, ended its season with a 5-10-1 record.

Foxcroft, which defeated Hermon 5-0 during their only regular-season meeting on Sept. 12, used a four-goal binge during a 12-minute span of the first half to take control.

Anderson struck first for the Ponies 10:11 into the match, scoring off a short corner with an assist from Abbi Bourget.

Dow made it 2-0 seven minutes later, taking a short pass across the goal crease from the onrushing Alli Bourget and tucking the ball past Hermon freshman goalie Emily Morgan.

Alli Bourget then scored twice within a three-minute span, first off an assist by Anderson 18:54 into the half and then putting a pass from her sister into the cage for a 4-0 lead at the 21:54 mark.

“Our teamwork has been good throughout the season, and we’ve been using our passing well,” said Anderson. “Today that really helped a lot.”

Anderson, True and Alli Bourget each added a second-half goal.

“They hustled, they played hard, I just think it was a little bit of nerves, and we do have a lot of girls on the team with colds,” said Smith. “The important thing is they know how to win.”