JAY – The motto for the Livermore Falls field hockey team is “Git’er Done,” and that’s exactly what the Andies accomplished Tuesday afternoon in a Western Class C playoff game.
Erica Gats lit up the scoreboard in the second half with a hat trick to power Livermore Falls to a 5-2 triumph against North Yarmouth Academy in the quarterfinals.
The game was played at Jay High School because of wet conditions at the Andies field. The skies opened up again, but despite a downpour, both teams agreed to play the game.
No. 3 Livermore Falls (13-2) advances to a semifinal game on Saturday with St. Dom’s
“We knew that this game would be tough today,” Gats said. “We also knew that we’d need to play hard against them. People say that Livermore Falls is a second-half team, and I guess we proved them right.”
Livermore Falls provided an indication of things to come when Taryn Flagg sent the ball forward to give Gats several breakaways, but the shots went wide. Gats finally hit the back of the cage twice in a 29-second span.
The first goal came off a rebound of a Helaina Lake drive seven minutes into the second half.
The Andies then intercepted the tap and advanced the ball into the offensive zone. Gats drilled a shot past NYA goalie Sarah Holden (20 saves).
“They came alive in the second half,” Livermore Falls coach Julia Parker said. “I was apprehensive because the first half had ended in a 1-1 tie. We have been focusing a lot on our penalty corners, but without much success. Still, I thought we were able to keep control of the ball and get it outside to the wings.”
No. 6 NYA knotted the score on a goal by Alecia Tocci with 5:16 left in the first half. Andies goalie Sam Whiting made the initial save while on her stomach.
Livermore Falls drew first blood on a Danielle Therrien goal with an assist from Kelsey Biliouris. Flagg one-timed a shot home, and Gats scored off a Whitney McDaniel pass for the Andies’ other scores.
Denise Moriba also scored for NYA.
The Andies defense proved to be stout with fullbacks Jenika Kelley and Baylee Grant. The tandem readily rushed up to prevent NYA from advancing the ball. Whiting (six saves) was shaken up when a Panther player fell on her.
“The action was intense,” Parker said. “I can’t say enough about our defense because Jenika and Baylee work so well together, they’ll be hard to replace. When Sam went down, I held my breath. She twisted her back.”
Comments are no longer available on this story