LEWISTON – All it took was one.

Lewiston forward Michelle Rancourt swiped the ball from Morse defender Meagan Hennessey just 10 yards from the cage, stopped, reversed direction and buried a shot in the bottom right corner of the net to score the Blue Devils’ first goal of the 2008 campaign, some 217 minutes into the season.

“Getting that first goal got the entire team pumped up,” Rancourt said. “That’s what we needed to get going.”

Rancourt netted another and Emilie Cloutier jammed home a lob from Kim Archibald to add the exclamation point, leading Lewiston to its first win of the season and first under new coach Steve Corson, a 3-1 decision over the Shipbuilders.

“The new dynamics, the new philosophy, I think it’s building and all of the players’ hard work is starting to pay off,” Corson said. “They’re starting to show a total group effort from top to bottom. They’re starting to do what we’re asking, and they’re seeing the benefit.”

Senior Katie Cobb, a team captain who has seen – and been a part of – the program’s evolution in recent years, was solid in net early, when she had to be, and finished with 16 saves to earn the win.

“It was really nerve-wracking, because when we go down by a goal, we seem to put our heads down. But I knew as soon as we got that first one, it was all over. We knew they’d keep coming.”

Neither team was able to mount much pressure early. The Blue Devils’ best chance came in the game’s 15th minute when Cloutier crossed the ball from the right side to Rancourt, who tried to tip it near post past Morse keeper Kate Thibodeau.

The Shipbuilders’ best opportunity of the opening half came four minutes earlier, when Tori Haggett forced Cobb to make a diving stop.

“It’s frustrating, though,” Morse coach Bill Eberhart said. “Our effort was sub-par. We had some good moments, but overall, it was a bad day for our team. But all the credit to Lewiston. They came out here and really wanted to win this game, and they showed it.”

In the second, Rancourt gave Lewiston the early edge with her pick-pocket goal in the 57th minute. Cobb preserved the lead with another diving effort on a Morse corner, and Rancourt added her second with less than 15 minutes to play on a loose ball at the right post.

“There were so many of us there. I just happened to get my foot on the ball,” Rancourt said. “I think their goalie was a little overwhelmed seeing five white jerseys rushing at her.”

Beth Suggs pulled the visitors within one just 23 seconds later, though, as she snuck the ball inside the near post on the left side from a tough angle.

But with 1:04 to play, Archibald launched a 35-yard bomb from the left sideline on a free kick over the Shipbuilders’ line of defense. It bounced over Thibodeau’s head and Cloutier made sure it was in, kicking it home with authority.