ORONO, Maine — The Hermon High School girls soccer team knew they were going to have their hands full on Wednesday afternoon against the John Bapst High School Crusaders.
The Bangor-based Crusaders were coming off an impressive 4-2 road win over a defending Class B North champion Ellsworth team that had beaten the Hawks by the same score to open the season.
But senior midfielder and captain Brooke Gallop scored a pair of goals and added an assist; freshman midfielder Payton Guerrette registered three assists and sophomore goalkeeper Becca Balmas made 10 saves as the Hawks triumphed 4-1 at the University of Maine’s grass field in Orono.
Juniors Natalie Tardie and Madison Stewart had the other goals for the Hawks, who improved to 4-1 with their fourth straight victory.
Freshman Quinn Bennett scored from the penalty spot for 4-2 John Bapst and junior goalie Grace Bouchard made seven saves.
Both teams attempted 20 shots.
“For the most part, the team played really well,” said Hermon coach M.J. Ball, who is in his 11th season at Hermon and has never lost to John Bapst. “The back four (senior Olivia Johnston, junior Erin Selleck, sophomore Lila Ryan and freshman Maddie Muth) did well and Brooke (Gallop) has a cannon and she brought it today.”
He also said Balmas was “awesome” and was a difference-maker.
John Bapst had a glorious chance to take a 1-0 lead five minutes into the game when senior midfielder Jaquie Pangburn got behind the Hermon defense and ran on to a perfect through ball from sophomore Liv Huang.
But Balmas dove to her right and made a terrific save on Pangburn’s low 12-yard shot.
“I kind of predicted (where it was going) early on,” said Balmas.
“That first save kept us in it,” said Ball.
Balmas was pleased with her performance and said she felt “looser than normal.”
Balmas made another top-notch save nine minutes later when Bennett blasted a powerful 35-yard strike. Balmas was able to extend her arms to parry the shot off the underside of the crossbar.
Seven minutes later, seconds after Bouchard scurried across to her left to make a brilliant save on Ella Johnson’s point-blank attempt off a Tardie pass, Guerrette fed a pass across to Gallop on the left hand side a few yards outside the penalty area, and Gallop unleashed a sizzling shot with her left foot into the far corner.
Tardie expanded the lead off a long pass from Guerrette with 10:58 left in the half.
Tardie ran on to the ball and fired it past Bouchard.
A tripping call in the Hermon penalty area sent Bennett to the penalty spot 1:03 later and she calmly converted with a well-placed penalty kick.
But the Hawks restored their two-goal lead with 1:16 left in the half as again it was a nice pass from Guerrette to Gallop outside the box and another forceful and perfectly-placed left-footed shot by Gallop.
The two-goal game was Gallop’s second of the young season.
“Payton is able to scan the field very well. She sees everyone,” said Gallop. “Her being able to switch the field to me on both of those goals was amazing.”
Gallop said when she lines up a shot, she tries “to look for the far corner” and will also look to shoot over the goalkeeper if her height is a problem.
Stewart made it 4-1 early in the second half off a pass from Gallop.
Gallop sustained a knee injury with 4:23 left in the game and had to be helped off the field.
She will get it examined on Thursday according to Ball.
John Bapst first-year coach Greg Bennett said he thought his team was “a little too lax.
“But we will learn things from it,” said Bennett, who felt Balmas played “very well” for the Hawks.
“Hopefully, we will have fewer shots directly at her next time,” said Bennett. “We’re looking forward to playing them again. It will be a different game.”
The teams will meet again on Oct. 10 in Hermon beginning at 6 p.m.
Both teams will be in action at home on Saturday at noon as John Bapst will entertain Caribou while Hermon will await Mount Desert Island.
