BUCKFIELD — After finding the back of the net only once in the first half, Buckfield adjusted to the rainy weather and poured it on in the second half against Pine Tree Academy in a 5-1 Class D South boys soccer victory Monday.

Four of the Bucks’ (3-0) five goals came in the final 40 minutes.

“Whenever you play in the rain, it’s hard to do the things you are good at,” Buckfield coach Kyle Rines said. “The ball doesn’t go the right way. I thought we did a good job staying patient, and Justin (Lucas) took advantage of that first one.”

Rines said the Bucks have been in scenarios where weather can shorten the game, so picking up a goal in the first half was key — just in case the officials called the game early.

Lucas recorded a hat trick for the Bucks, while freshman Krosby Harvey tallied two goals and two helpers.

Lucas said the rain was beneficial to his performance.

“I think the rain helped me because it made me calm down and focus,” Lucas said. “I knew it was going to be a challenge, but I always like playing in the rain; I think it’s fun.”

Miguel Matos had the Breakers’ (2-1) first scoring chance, but Buckfield goalie Cayden Durgin stopped the shot.

Brayden Jack hit the crossbar a few minutes later on the Bucks’ first scoring chance.

Lucas, a senior, scored his first of the game 10 minutes into the first half when his shot beat Pine Tree goalie Rhett Tyson (12 saves).

“I got a pass from Krosby Harvey, I took a one-touch and shot it,” Lucas said. “It went right of the goalie.”

Buckfield tried to extend the lead at the end of the half when it had two shots — including one from Lucas — in the final 15 seconds.

“After Justin’s goal, it was really tight after that, for a really long time,” Rines said. “That second-half surge we had was really important for us, and Justin is a big part of that.”

Lucas got loose from the Pine Tree defenders in the second half. He went on a breakaway in the seventh minute and found the back of the net.

Lucas scored a nearly identical goal in the 19th minute of the second half, giving Buckfield a 3-0 advantage.

“We saw the defense wasn’t getting back and we knew we had to take our chances,” Lucas said. “We just went for it and got a shot and scored.”

Harvey blasted his first goal five minutes after Lucas’ third goal for a 4-0 lead. Harvey added his second goal in the 28th minute for a 5-0 lead.

Durgin (four saves) did his part to hold off the Breakers. He made two point-blank saves in the 30th minute of the second half to keep Pine Tree off the board.

“Cayden Durgin played really well in net,” Rines said. “He had one incredible sequence there in the second half. He’s been really good for us.”

The Breakers broke the shutout bid in the 32nd minute when forward Andres Avendano found an opening in Buckfield’s defense to put the shot past Durgin.

“If it wasn’t raining, Pine Tree probably sees better chances, and we see better chances, too,” Rines said.

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