WATERVILLE — The Ramblers just keep rolling.
In the face of blustery conditions, the Winthrop field hockey team cruised to a 4-0 win over Maranacook in a Class C South quarterfinal game Wednesday at Thomas College.
No. 1 Winthrop (15-0-0) will host No. 5 Hall-Dale on Saturday at 3 p.m. in a regional semifinal at Thomas College.
“It’s nice (to win),” said Winthrop’s Maddie Perkins, who led the Ramblers with two goals. “I’m hoping we can go far this year. We’re young, but we’re really good. This one is nice to just get off our backs and move on to Saturday.”
No. 8 Maranacook, which made it to the quarterfinals after beating Boothbay 3-0 in the preliminary round, ends its season with a 5-11-0 record.
Winthrop kept the offensive pressure on early and often in the first half, which included a 6-0 advantage in penalty corners, but also had its struggles finishing. The Ramblers only put one goal into the net — scored by Lauryn Wood — in the first half.
“It was definitely frustrating,” Perkins said. “We weren’t connecting on a ton of passes, we were kind of just hitting it. Kind of playing like we do on grass, but turf is a lot different and a lot faster. But then we realized (at halftime) that if we slowed it down, just keep our heads in the game, we’d be fine.”
Maranacook’s Riley Shacter, left, and Winthrop’s Bella Littler try to control the ball during a Class C South quarterfinal field hockey game Wednesday afternoon at Thomas College in Waterville. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel
Maranacook head coach Ashley Work said she was proud of her team’s defense, particularly the play of goalie Esme Jamison.
“I think our team overall played really well, they really showed up today,” Work said. “Our defense was definitely on fire. It helps that we have a really great goalie as well. I think everyone came today, made sure they were working well together and staying positive and really using the different skills that we work on.”
Winthrop put the pressure back on quickly to start the second half. Perkins nailed a shot on a penalty corner to give the Ramblers a 2-0 lead with just under 13 minutes remaining in the third quarter. The Ramblers gained more offensive traction later in the quarter, when Bella Littler scored in a scrum in front of the net, followed a minute later on a Perkins goal off a penalty corner to give Winthrop a 4-0 lead.
Maranacook’s Eliza Pattershall tumbles to the turf while battling Winthrop’s Madeline Wagner for control of the ball during a Class C South quarterfinal field hockey game Wednesday afternoon at Thomas College in Waterville. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel
“We have so many people that can score on this team,” Perkins said. “I think that’s our biggest threat, we’re fast. We’re tiny, but mostly everybody on our team can score.”
A junior-heavy team, Maranacook is losing only two seniors from this year’s team.
“I’m super proud (of the team),” Work said. “I’m very pleased about this season and very excited for next season.”
Winthrop has already played two games this season against Hall-Dale (4-9-2), with the Ramblers taking both contests, a 7-0 win on Sept. 13, then a 4-0 victory over Oct. 13.
“They’re definitely going to be different on turf,” Perkins said. “They’re pretty fast, too. They’re fast like us. But I think if we just stick to how we always play and just play like we do, we’re going to be fine.”
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