FREEPORT – The Freeport Falcons hosted the Windham Eagles Saturday morning in a match that stayed close for most of its duration. Not until deep in the second half did Freeport take decisive control, when Meredith Broderick scored unassisted to give the Falcons a two-goal lead with only five minutes to play. Freeport walked away victorious, 9-6.

Both teams are now 2-1.

“We were a little slow off the top,” Freeport head coach Karin Kurry said, after the game. “It’s our third game in five days. So we definitely have some lactic acid and muscle pulls.”

The Eagles built a 4-3 lead as the first half progressed. Late in the half, however, Freeport, down by one, scored two rapid-fire goals to edge ahead going into the break.

“Our passes I thought were off,” Kurry said, “so at halftime we talked about making more accurate passes, harder passes…We talked about possession of the ball, getting draw control, getting ground balls, just working for those loose balls.”

Windham needed just over six minutes of scoreless back-and-forth play, but they tied the game at 5-5 in the second half on a goal by Sam Greenlaw. Freeport went up again, 6-5, three minutes later, however, when Jocelyn Davee scored on an assist by Emily Johnson. From there, the Falcons fought to pull away and it looked like they might, when Broderick scored her second of the game near the 11-minute mark, putting Freeport on top 7-5. Haley Batchelder’s goal for Windham brought the Eagles back within one, but not for long. Broderick got her stick on the ball and charged up field with it, dodging between defenders to score unassisted.

With time winding down, Freeport needed only to manage the clock. They did, and Davee even scored one last Falcon goal before the final buzzer.

Asked who came up big for the Falcons on Saturday, Kurry said, “A lot of them did. Aubrey (Pennell) and Jocelyn always play really good games. I thought Emily Johnson played really well. Molly Lane, my goalie, of course has been playing awesome. She, every game, seems to get better and better … It’s a whole team effort.”

After a 6-6 regular season in 2012, Freeport found themselves advancing through the playoffs. They made it all the way to the state finals before suffering elimination. Kurry calls last year “a dream season,” but is taking 2013 one game at a time.

“We talked this season [about another playoff run]. I mean, we’d love to make it that far again, but we have to improve our record…We’re just focusing on the next game ahead, trying not to think about playoffs or worry about playoffs…We’ve got to get the work done now,” Kurry said.

Kurry plans to focus on offensive plays in practice in the coming days, but also has concerns about the team’s ability to practice effectively on their field.

“Our field here was so bad, we only got onto the field one day before April break,” she said. “And it didn’t have lines on it. So we haven’t had a lined field until this week. It’s clay, so it doesn’t drain…It’s important that the town realize these fields aren’t acceptable. It’s so lumpy, and you can see how ground balls are really hard for us for everybody…We’re trying to have a program that’s at high standards, and we can’t even use a field. We were in a gym when everyone else was outside.”

The conditions don’t affect team morale, though.

“Luckily, the girls have great hearts and they’ll just play with what they’ve got,” Kurry said. “They’ve got great heart. They’re the nicest kids. To come to practice it just makes me happy.”

For Freeport, Pennell had two goals and one assist. Broderick had three goals, Davee had two, and Lizzy Martin and Bethanie Knighton had one each.

For Windham, Greenlaw and Christina Pollard each had two goals; Batchelder and Luisa Sbardella each had one.

Windham’s Christiana Pollard carries the ball up field, pursued by Freeport’s Emily Johnson (31) and Courtney Broderick (41). Staff photos by Adam Birt
Falcon Nina Moore shoves her body between the ball and Eagle Sam Greenlaw.
Freeport’s Lizzy Martin carries the ball, while Windham’s Hanna Skvorak (2) and Macy Mannette (10) defend.
A mass of Freeport players, including Emily Johnson (31) and Meredith Broderick (37), converge on Windham Eagle Emily Ogg.
Windham’s Emily Gorrivan vies for control of the ball, pinched by Freeport Falcons Shelby Sawyer (25) and Emily Johnson (31).
Windham Eagle Emily Gilman carries the ball upfield against Freeport defender Bethanie Knighton Saturday morning.