OAKLAND — A season that began with questions for the Cony field hockey team has turned into one of promise and potential.
Since dropping its first two games of the season, the Rams have reeled off 10 straight victories, the latest a 2-0 win over Messalonskee on Thursday.
With the win, Cony (10-2) moves into second place in the Class A North tournament standings behind unbeaten Skowhegan while Messalonskee (8-4) remains in the fourth spot.
The Rams scored a goal in each half, getting their first from sophomore Julia Reny and the second from freshman Madison Veilleux.
“After the first time we played Messalonskee (a 2-1 win) it really kicked us off,” senior captain Kami Lambert said. “We were having a rough start to the season and that game really pushed us through.”
The Rams out-shot the Eagles 6-4 in the first half and 4-1 in the second in an otherwise evenly played game that featured a battle for control of midfield.
“I think our defense was great the whole game,” Cony coach Holly Daigle said. “The second half they had it in their offensive end more . . . but we did a great job of making stops on the ball and making sure we were on our marks.”
The Eagles had opportunities. They had seven penalty corners, including three in the final six minutes of the game, but couldn’t translate those to shots on goal.
“It was a good game,” Messalonskee coach Katie McLaughlin said. “It was a really physical game and I think our teams matched up pretty well. We didn’t execute in the offensive circle today.”
Reny, who has come on strong as a scorer during the win streak, made it 1-0 with just over 10 minutes left in the first half after taking a pass from her twin sister Anna.
“(The ball) was on the 25 so I couldn’t just drive it in so I made a back pass. Anna passed it back to me and I just dribbled to the top of the circle and did a hard push pass and it went in.”
The Eagles came out strong at the beginning of the second half and gained a penalty corner with 26:40 left to play. Emily Douglas finished with five saves, all of them tough ones.
“Emily made some great saves,” Daigle said. “She does a really good job of keeping her head in the game and seeing the whole field.”
Messalonskee goalie Rylie Genest was a little busier finishing with seven saves, none better than the stop she made off Lambert’s stick eight minutes into the second half.
Cony got an insurance goal on a strange play in which nearly everyone on the field anticipated a whistle after an airborne shot struck a Cony player. But it escaped the view of the officials and the whistle never came.
“You play to the whistle,” Daigle said. “Maddy just stuck with the play and played to the whistle and got a hard-earned shot off.”
The Rams play a makeup game in Gardiner on Saturday before ending the regular season at home against Mt. Blue. The Eagles play at Maine Central Institute on Saturday and finish the regular season at Skowhegan on Monday.
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