CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Senior forward Abby Lash (Waldoboro, Maine) blasted a left-footed strike from 25 yards out that sailed over the head of Lesley goalkeeper Madison Reed, giving the Beavers a 1-0 lead in the 71st minute. The Beavers held strong defensively in the final 19 minutes, securing a crucial North Atlantic Conference (NAC) victory on the road over the Lynx. Today's win for Farmington completed the season sweep of Lesley.
The Records:
The Beavers improved their season record to 6-6-2 and their NAC record to 3-3-2. The Lynx dropped to 8-6-1 with a 5-3 record in conference play.
How It Happened:
The Lynx maintained the majority of possession throughout the game, but a gritty, team defensive effort from the Beavers made life difficult for the hosts.
Despite focusing on defense, Farmington was always ready for the counterattack, searching for a quick strike to ignite their offense.
Lesley held a 13-4 advantage in shots during the opening half.
The second half played out similarly to the first, with Lesley continuing to dominate possession and shots. Junior goalkeeper Paige Gonya (Sabattus, Maine) led the strong defensive effort for Farmington, making several key saves to keep the Lynx off the scoreboard.
After a save by Gonya on a shot from Elsie Koehler, she sent a deep punt down the field that found its way to Lash. Lash dribbled to her left, creating enough space for a beautiful shot that sneaked inside the near post, giving Farmington the 1-0 lead.
Farmington's defense continued its stout performance, allowing just one shot to reach Gonya in the final 19 minutes to secure the crucial win.
Team Stats:
Lesley held advantages in shots (25-7), shots on goal (10-2), and corner kicks (5-0), but were unable to get anything past Gonya.
The Goalkeepers:
Gonya recorded her fourth shutout of the season, making 10 crucial saves to lead the Beavers to victory. Reed made one save in the loss for Lesley.
UP NEXT:
The Beavers return home on Wednesday afternoon for a matchup against the University of Maine at Presque Isle. The game is scheduled to begin at 3:30 PM.
