Sisters Elisha and Erica Dorso team up to score the Saints’ three goals.
By Peter Mullen
Staff Writer

AUBURN – All St. Dom’s needed was the smallest of opportunities.

Sophomore Elisha Dorso scored nine minutes into the second half and her senior sister, Erica, added two more as the No. 1 Saints (15-0) shutout No. 8 Freeport (6-8-1), 3-0, in a Western Class C field hockey quarterfinal Wednesday.

The two teams, playing each other for the third time this season, battled evenly through a scoreless first half.

Elisha, along with Erica and Malley O’Shea changed all that with 21:23 remaining in the game. The three charged into the circle with Elisha finishing off the play with a goal.

“It felt so good to get that first goal,” said Elisha Dorso. “When we got that first goal it was amazing. When we got that goal it just boosted us to get more.” “I thought we were kind of flat in the first half,” said St. Dom’s coach Brian Kay. “We didn’t practice (Tuesday) because of the rain and that didn’t help, but we started coming around in the second half.”

It may have been a one vs. eight matchup but it was not taken for granted.

“You can never underestimate Freeport,” said Erica Dorso. “They’ve always been strong against us. After my sister scored that first goal it was like: ‘wow, we can do this.'”

“When you score that first goal, it kind of breaks their back,” said Kay.

Erica added insurance goals when she found the back of the cage on a scramble in front with 18:26 left. Sara Daigle was credited with the assists.

A little more than five minutes later it was Caitlin Rutt’s turn to feed Erica and the victory was in hand.

The goals bring Erica’s season total to 33, one shy of the state record with possibly two games to be played.

Kay was also proud of his defense that kept Freeport at bay.

“I think my midfielders and defense are the best in the state,” said Kay. “Caitlin (Rutt), Michela (Fyler), and Melinda (Hoyt) play so well together. They know what each other are doing all the time.”

“We played them the same way when they came down to our house,” said Freeport coach Peggy Hummel. “We were actually up 1-0 in the first half in that game. In the second half they proved to be more aggressive. They just keep pushing and pushing.”

St. Dom’s goaltender Ilissa Vallee stopped just one shot, while Freeport’s Beth Neuts was called on for five saves.

St. Dom’s advances to the semifinals on Saturday.

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