LEWISTON — Cape Elizabeth worked around Lewiston’s patient ball control and stick handling, eventually erupting for eight goals in the first half of a girls lacrosse game on Friday.
The Capers scored six more goals in the second half to take down the Blue Devils with a 14-2 victory.
Lewiston (2-6) waited patiently to get around Cape Elizabeth’s well-protected goalie Elise Branch, who made four saves, but the Blue Devils’ efforts were stymied by the Capers’ (3-3) strong defense.
“It was just a fun game for us,” Cape Elizabeth coach Alex Spark said. “A big-team win — everybody played, everyone put something out on the field. … We were just having a fun time playing together.”
But Spark also was impressed by the Blue Devils’ patience and handling of the ball.
“I just got done talking with their coach (Tracey Blaisdell),” Spark said. “(The Blue Devils) were so fundamentally sound on stick skills. They moved the ball really well. They didn’t drop (the ball). They burned five minutes off their first possession because they were able to hold on to it for so long. My assistant coach and I were impressed with how they moved the ball.”
Lewiston, though, struggled to find an opening to score. When they finally had the chance, the Capers pounced, with Ellie Gange, who finished with a hat trick, starting off the procession with back-to-back goals.
“It was definitely a full team effort out there,” Gange said. “We like to get all girls scoring, so I was so happy were able to get balls in the back of the net. I am just really proud of the team.”
Claire McDonald, who scored five goals for Cape Elizabeth, followed Gange’s pair with her first goal, then Sadie Smith used a Laura Clark assist for another score and Cape’s lead moved to 4-0.
McDonald scored the next two goals and Kaity Woods and Annallese Rudberg each added one, providing the Capers with an 8-0 lead going into the second half.
“It is part of the game plan that (when) we have the ball, they can’t score,” Blaisdell said. “We run a motion offense. We are not looking to a run-and-goal offense. It is all about ball control.
“I love the fact that we were patient in ball handling. We get a chance to read the defense. We get a chance to find those breaks.”
Libby Hopper, Gange and McDonald each scored a goal to make it 12-0 game. That margin put the game into running time.
The Blue Devils got on the board 5:49 seconds into the second half. Leah Dube scored on an Emily Trider assist to spoil the Capers’ potential shutout.
Cape Elizabeth reeled off three goals, with Rudberg, McDonald and Laura Clark each scoring one.
The Blue Devils’ efforts paid off again when Cecilia Miller scored an unassisted goal with 9:20 left in the game.
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