MONMOUTH— Last year the Monmouth girls’ soccer team logged just one victory. One year later, they’re starting to get the hang of it.

Sophomore Chelse Blair-Arsenault had a pair of hustling goals to help Monmouth capture its third win of the young season with a 2-1 victory over Wiscasset on Saturday.

Monmouth coach Gary Trafton has stressed aggressiveness to his team all season long. Both Blair-Arsenault and freshman Kylie Kemp combined on almost half of the Mustangs’ offensive opportunities against the Redskins (1-4-1). Saturday, Kemp controlled the right wing while Blair-Arsenault held down the left side.

“We’ve been trying to be aggressive all year long,” said Trafton. “When we’re aggressive, we can play with anybody.”

Blair-Arsenault scored her first goal after Kemp sent a pass ahead to her down the left wing. As she collected the pass she forced her way pass fullback Bri Goud. She then blasted a low, line drive to the left of keeper Kasey Cromwell. Cromwell was only able to get a piece of the ball as it skidded past her into the goal.

“All of us are trying to work together,” said Blair-Arsenault, “and our forwards are working on making crossing passes. I was just in the right spot at the right time.”

The Mustangs (3-2) put all sorts of offensive pressure on the Redskin goal in the first half. Kemp created an opportunity out front only to see Cromwell come out and smother the attempt by deflecting the ball off her shins. Moments later, Ashley Coulombe hustled to a through ball from 10 yards out, but her shot sailed wide of the goal.

The Mustangs took a 1-0 lead into the second half only to see the Redskins reverse the momentum from the outset.

Wiscasset’s offensive attack pinned Monmouth in its end for most of the first five minutes of the second half until Haley Grant finally put the visitors on the scoreboard. Grant’s shot from the left corner ricocheted off the head of a Mustang defender and found its way into the goal.

Trafton’s young squad responded by allowing only one shot on goal the rest of the way while the offense put a continuous assault on the Wiscasset goal. Cromwell stopped one attempt after another and made a potentially lopsided game a close one.

“She’s kept us in a lot of games,” said Wiscasset coach Chris Hammond. “She’s just starting out this year. She’s still learning it, but she’s doing a great job.”

While Cromwell excelled at coming out to the cut off angles of the Monmouth forwards, she struggled in cleanly catching the ball, something that did not go unnoticed on the Monmouth sideline.

“She wasn’t always holding onto the ball,” said Trafton. “We wanted someone always there.

Midway through the half, Blair-Arsenault’s hustle placed her in position to bang home one of the loose balls. With Cromwell attempting to corral the ball and a defender step for step with her, Blair-Arsenault fought her way to the crease and made a sprawling kick to pop the ball into the Wiscasset goal.

“Chelse played well today,” said Trafton. “That was the best game she’s played.”

The Redskins’ final attempt came with 5:25 to play. Grant dribbled the ball half the length of the field before spotting up to fire a low, hard shot on goal which was scooped up by Monmouth keeper Kelsie Hilton (six saves).

“They outworked us today,” said Hammond. “They earned this one.”