WINTHROP – Marc Fortin didn’t think Tuesday’s soccer game would be a pleasant one and that was before the downpours began.

The unbeaten Winthrop girls hosted Mt. Abram, and Fortin knew the Roadrunners would be a club that would give his team a challenge. Sure enough, after building a 2-0 lead, Winthrop watched the Roadrunners create a few anxious moments with a late rally in the second half. The Ramblers managed to hold on for a 2-1 victory.

“I knew they were going to be tough,” said Fortin. “We’re 6-0 and they’re 4-2. They’ve got nothing to lose, and we’ve got all kinds of stuff to lose. We start playing tentative and the next thing you know they could have a chance to tie it up. We always have trouble with those guys. They kicked our butts last year.”

Winthrop (7-0) built the lead on goals by Ashley Falcone and Laura Ravis. The Ramblers were playing without all-state forward Kaitlyn Dunn, who was out of action after a concussion last Friday.

Though Winthrop had dominated Mt. Abram (4-3) for much of the opening half, outshooting them 7-1, the Roadrunners came to life in the second half. The slippery conditions made it difficult for goaltenders to handle the ball in front, and the Roadrunners did a better job getting the ball in front.

Though Katie Brooks did a fine job in net for the Ramblers, the Roadrunners produced a nice play with 6:44 left in the game.

Whitney Fahy, who had a fine game on the left wing, made a nice cross to the front of the net where Liz Kankainen converted it.

“We’re in good condition,” said Mt. Abram coach Marc Keller. “We’ve worked hard on that. We’ve got good speed up front. I knew with this kind of weather, if we could anticipate a few balls that aren’t played well, one might fall our way. We got lucky on one.”

Mt. Abram couldn’t produce another in the final minutes though. Winthrop’s Heather Babb, Jen MacMaster, Lisa Pennabere and Renee St. Hilaire all did a nice job moving the ball downfield and keeping the Roadrunners at bay.

“They could have easily given up when (Winthrop) got that (2-0 lead) in the second half,” said Keller. “They hung tough. They played well. It was a tough day to play.”

Winthrop took the 1-0 lead 11:08 into the game. Falcone curled a direct kick past the wall and inside the right post.

On a dry day, keeper Kim Johnson might have had the shot, but the ball slipped off her gloves.

Winthrop had a chance to add to the lead with penalty shot with 25:06 left in the half. A hand ball call created the PK, but St. Hilaire’s chip to the right side was stopped when Johnson made a nifty diving save.

The Ramblers couldn’t add to the lead despite controlling much of the play in the opening half. Ravis had a try late in the period but missed the net.

Mt. Abram didn’t get a quality shot on net until Lindsay Perlson’s shot with 1:30 remaining.

“It should have been 3-0 in the first half,” said Fortin. “We should have had a 3-0 lead and then we could have coasted.”

Winthrop made it 2-0 just 1:16 into the second half. St. Hilaire sent a pass ahead. Johnson came out of the net, slipped and watched the ball take an odd bounce over her. Ravis charged in from the right wing to deposit the loose ball into the open net.