AUBURN — Underclassmen are playing key roles for the St. Dominic/Lisbon girls hockey team in the first month of the season.

On Wednesday, freshmen Julia Quagliaroli and Alana Wheeler each stood out on her of the ice during the Saints’ 4-3 win victory over  Lewiston/Oak Hill/Mt. Ararat/Morse on Wednesday at Norway Savings Bank Arena.

Quagliaroli scored three of the Saints’ goals and assisted on the fourth, while Wheeler made 34 saves.

“We’ve got quite a few freshmen, so (we’re) definitely young,” St. Dom’s/Lisbon coach Paul Gosselin said. “We’re getting better every game. … They’re starting to buy into the system, and their will is definitely improving for games. They’re figuring out how to play the whole game and feel good about wanting to win.”

Five of the 11 players on St. Dom’s/Lisbon (2-3) roster are underclassmen.

“It’s pretty cool that we’re a pretty young team, and the seniors and the juniors that we do have, we’re all very close, so there’s no difference between us,” Wheeler, who also played goalie for the Saints as an eighth-grader last year, said. “We’re all just friends. (The seniors) are helping us and guiding us, they’re telling us to pick our heads up, and don’t get down on ourselves.”

Gosselin said that the young players have been thrust into action due to the Saints’ small roster — but that has quickened their grown and strengthened their conditioning.

“I think, as I said to the girls, at first it’s going to be a little bit more difficult because we don’t have that cushion, but they’re definitely getting in better shape,” Gosselin said. “Even with a small bench, I think our third period was really strong (Wednesday). I’d have to say that I think Lewiston slowed down a bit and we accelerated, and I think it’s because we’re probably in better shape, we’re used to playing with (a small number of) girls, so it’s helping.”

Gosselin said Quagliaroli “is an opportunist” with speed who excels at being aggressive on the wing to generate goals, while Wheeler is “a solid goaltender who’s been there since day one,” and does an excellent job at keeping the team in tight, high-pressure games.

Quagliaroli, who attends Lisbon High School, first found the back of the net in Wednesday’s game with 50 seconds remaining in the first period. In the second period, she scored off assists from Chloe Beauchesne and Gabby Allen. The freshman forward snuck the puck into the net again 27 seconds into the third, again via assists from Allen and Beauchesne.

Beauchesne also scored for the Saints, breaking a 2-2 tie 10 seconds before Quagliaroli’s third-period goal.

The Blue Devils kept Wheeler busy, firing 37 shots on goal, but only three got past her.

“Alana, the goalie for St. Dom’s, played great and she stood up for them,” Blue Devils assistant coach Keith Desjardins said. “I think she won that game for them.”

Kylie Dulac of Lewiston/Morse/Mt. Ararat/Oak Hill (2-4) opened the scoring with two goals six seconds apart in the third minute of the first period. Emma Berube netted the Blue Devils’ third goal with 4:06 remaining in the third.

Lewiston senior goalie Riley Waters finished with 14 saves on 18 shots.