Bonny Eagle has cruised through much of the field hockey season admittedly with lackluster play in the opening minutes of games.

Monday, however, much to the detriment of visiting Westbrook, the Scots showed that they can also throw the first punch.

The 2-0 Bonny Eagle win continued a recent series of big games between the two teams, both with high hopes for a successful post season this fall. Both teams came into the game with only one loss. Last year the Scots knocked Westbrook out in the Western Maine finals, 2-1 in overtime.

The stage was set.

“This was our biggest game of the season, easily,” said Scot sweeper Courtney Wallace, who said the make-up contest (which was originally rained out Sept. 26) has been in their sights since the start of the season. “It’s definitely a big rivalry, because it usually comes down to us and them.”

Jamie Ketch, who scored the game’s first goal more than 10 minutes in, said the fast start surprised her.

“We came out strong in the first half and dominated it,” said Ketch. “Usually we’re just the opposite. A lot of times we’re a second half team. But today we kept at it the whole game. We’ve been wanting to play like this all season. And finally, in our biggest game, we did it.”

“I think this was a big reality check for us,” said Westbrook co-captain Vanessa Enman. “I think we had a mindset that we were going to come in here and tear it apart today. But maybe we were a little intimidated at first. We got our hopes up and froze up a little bit. But now I think we are going to bring it harder.”

Westbrook coach Beth Murphy said she knows this wasn’t her team’s best showing but is confident the lapse won’t last.

“We weren’t aggressive in the first half.,” Murphy said. “We let them dictate the whole game today. It’s difficult to come back from two down even though we played better in the second half. Usually we’re pretty aggressive but we didn’t bring our A game today. I’m not worried, though. When the time comes we’ll step up.”

It was just the first of a week of tough challenges for Bonny Eagle, however. The Scots had unbeaten Gorham on their schedule yesterday (Tuesday), and take on Marshwood at home Thursday (3:30 p.m.). They close out with Portland at home Monday.

Ketch’s goal came via a nice pass from Jessica Spearin. And less than six minutes later, Brittany Delaney scored a goal, assisted by Amy Richardson.

From there, the famed Scot defense took over, and that’s how it should be, said Wallace.

“The best part about our team, this year and last year, has been our defense,” she said. “You’ll notice the ball didn’t cross the 50-yard line much today. That’s what we pride ourselves on.”

And that makes things easier for goalie Meghan Ledoux, the team’s first-year goalie.

“She’s definitely wild and crazy,” said Scot coach Patty Bourget, who pulled Ledoux to the team from lacrosse, where she was also in goal.

“We didn’t know what we were going to do for a goalie this year,” said the Scot coach. “We were going to have to put Courtney Wallace in there and she would have done a good job, but we wanted her on defense.”

Now, with the way her midfield players and defenders have been excelling, Bourget’s biggest concern is that her goalie will become too relaxed at the wrong time.

“She tells me she gets bored back there sometimes,” said Bourget, “and I tell her ‘you can’t be bored. Make up a song in your head or something. If the other team gets a breakaway, you’re the one.'”

Wallace added that her team’s goalie “is definitely stress-free, but she does some things (like some of her stick work, dragging the ball out of the crease) that I’ve never seen a goalie do.”

Ledoux is the first to admit the defense in front of her is the main reason the team has reeled off a half dozen shutouts this season, including a 3-0 win over Cheverus Friday, Jill Lundin leading the way with a pair of goals.

“I have probably the best defense in the state,” she said after the Friday win, “with Courtney Wallace at sweeper, Laura Bell, Lacey Whitehouse and Mallory Stanley. They make a lot of saves.”

The Blue Blazes, who had a home game with Massabesic planned for Tuesday and travel to play at Noble Thursday.