TURNER — Scoring was the least of Leavitt's worries heading into the 2010 girls' soccer season. The Hornets have plenty of firepower back from last year's eight-win season.

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Jose Leiva/Sun Journal Leavitt's Sarah Frost leaps for the ball in soccer game with Maranacook on Wednesday at Leavitt.

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Jose Leiva/Sun Journal

Jose Leiva/Sun Journal Leavitt's Abbey Randall challenges Maranacook's Katie Dore for the ball in soccer game on Wednesday at Leavitt.

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Jose Leiva/Sun Journal

Jose Leiva/Sun Journal Maranacook's Ashley Belanger and Leavitt's Danielle Dubois battle for the ball in soccer game on Wednesday at Leavitt.

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The only question for the Hornets was how their young talent would blend in with the established veterans. Sophomores Jenna Cote and Mariah Treadwell  provided an answer Wednesday with all three goals, including Cote's game-winner, in a back-and-forth 3-2 win over Maranacook.

Cote outran a pair of Maranacook defenders to a Bri Hammond pass, then beat Maranacook goalie Katie Smith with 3:26 remaining for her second goal of the game and the difference-maker.

"Jenna Cote does a really good job with balls in the air. She's very adept at that," Leavitt coach Chris Cifelli said. "We thought we could get a few balls played into the middle and see if she could redirect something like that. She's been waiting to break through. Two goals probably put a little confidence under her belt."

"We had good through balls throughout the whole game and we're all about speed," Cote said. "It was really just a good through-ball and a good finish."

It was Cote's second good finish on the day. Her first goal 10:17 into the second half came off a pass from Abbey Randall that she redirected past Smith to give the Hornets a 2-1 lead.

"Abbey gave a little tip, and I have a little flick that I do," Cote said. "I got a flick into the top left corner and I just ran through it."

Leavitt (2-0) outshot Maracook, 21-15, keeping steady pressure on the Black Bears' fullbacks and keeper.

"We really have some talented offensive players, so we try to involve a lot of different people a lot of different ways," Cifelli said. "I think the big key was the pressure. We had to keep telling ourselves it was a matter of time."

"We had a couple of fullbacks out with injuries and illness in the last 20 minutes, which didn't help too much," Maranacook coach Peter Poulin said. "But they moved the ball well and we had difficulty marking them up in the area. The last two goals were because they beat us to the spot and our girls were slow to it."

Despite few quality opportunities in the second half, the Black Bears (0-2) were able to tie it when Amanda Findley found the top left corner over Leavitt goalie Kelly Pomerleau (eight saves) with 9:01 to go.

"One of the big things we've been working on in preseason, even in these first two games, is we give up a lot of counter-attacks and sometimes we do get a little disorganized," Cifelli said. "I think between the time of the game and also maybe some miscommunication in the back, we gave them a chance. You can't give Maranacook chances like that because they're going to finish."

Maddie Nazar finished 7:23 into the contest to give Maranacook the early lead. The Hornets tied it up at 14:03 when Hammond lobbed a pass to Treadwell breaking down the right side. The speedy Treadwell collected the ball without breaking stride and lifted it over Smith's head into the left corner.

"Maranacook is a good, quality program," Cifellis said, "so even though we were successful against them last season, they're the measuring stick."