Bob McPhee,Staff Writer

RUMFORD – Two quick goals was a huge confidence builder as the Mountain Valley field hockey team coasted the rest of the game on Wednesday afternoon.

The Falcons jumped right on the situation and then switched strategies in the second half to stay on top.

Junior Katlin Drury scored two goals in the first 12 minutes of the game and then held on for a 2-0 triumph in a season finale over Lisbon. The fast track at Hosmer Field was conducive to the Greyhounds hit-and-run style, but Falcon goalie Kim Clark, along with defenders Jenni Hamann, Kristen Chenard and Maddy Aylward, were equally supportive.

Class B Mountain Valley (8-6) anticipates hosting a preliminary playoff game on Saturday. The Falcons beat the Hounds 2-1 last month.

“The two quick goals definitely gave the team confidence,” Mountain Valley coach Melissa Forbes said. “I thought that we looked tired because there was a lot of hit and run. I think we played (Lisbon’s) game and not ours.”

Mountain Valley advanced the ball directly into its offensive zone and the pressure paid off. Amanda Gallant dribbled in on the right side and passed forward to Drury. Lisbon goalie Rachel Beal had rotated over, but Drury drilled the ball to the far corner of the cage with 1:43 off the clock.

Class C Lisbon (7-7) had secured a postseason berth, but the loss will effect its positioning. But in this matchup, the Hounds were simply unable to finish their shots in the circle.

“There was too much standing around,” Lisbon coach Mark Stevens said. “They played a lot of offense in the second half, but they weren’t finishing (crossing passes). Plus, Mountain Valley changed its tactics to a defensive scheme.”

The Falcons could afford to and packed 10 players in the Hounds’ 25-yard line. Lisbon had seven penalty corners in a five-minute span, but forwards Erica Merrit and Kelley Bourgoin were unable to push it home.

Clark made seven saves to record the shutout.

Drury scored again on a pass by Stephaine Beadle at 17:57. The Falcons had been awarded a penalty corner and kept the ball in the circle.

“We had a hard time stopping those long hits,” Forbes said. “(Lisbon) was sending them, and I think (our) girls were intimidated after having been hit with the ball so many times.”