The Falcons’ Emily Johnson notched Freeport’s sixth goal – the one that broke the game open – at home against NYA Wednesday afternoon. Fellow Falcons Meredith Broderick and Lizzy Martin both hashed hat tricks in the bout, leading their team to a 14-8 win.

The victory closes Freeport’s superb regular season at 10-2. The Falcons, ranked second to Yarmouth in Class B East, secure a bye through the first round of the playoffs, as well as home-field advantage for their semifinals battle.

“We need to play our game,” said Freeport head coach Karin Kurry of her team’s keys to victory, “which includes a lot of passing…Changing the field – changing left-side, right-side; doing the basics well, we try to remind them of that: getting the draw, getting the ground balls.”

Kurry said her team’s focus on those basic components of play has proven critical to the squad’s success in 2014. “We try not to alter our game plan. I know it’s predictable,” she chuckled, “but it works well for us. If we try to change it, it doesn’t.”

The No. 5 Panthers kept close to Freeport for most of the first half, matching them roughly goal-for-goal through nearly 23 minutes. Broderick opened the scoring just 35 seconds in, but NYA’s Alex Wahlstrom promptly answered. Panther Olivia Madone then pushed her team ahead by one, before Martin immediately evened the tally again.

The offense ping-ponged for another 20 minutes, until Martin seized the momentum for Freeport – scoring on an inside, downward shot – and the team never looked back. They jumped to 7-5 seconds later, when Julie Fosberg dashed threateningly up the right side of the field. A pack of Panthers pounced, and Fosberg dumped the ball out front, where Lily Johnston picked it up, turned quickly – and scored.

Kurry readily praised Fosberg’s performance.

“She’s one of our seniors. She’s a really quiet, sweet kid, and today she was just on. I was trying to get her pumped up. She doesn’t get that excited – but she’s the one that’s connecting the ball, doing things that are right. She’s the attack player that plays defense, she picks up the ground balls, she intercepted the ball. She did awesome.”

The Falcons largely controlled from there. Lindsay Cartmell opened the second half with another inside goal, and Martin followed her up with two rapid-fire ones. As the half progressed, Freeport pulled slowly further ahead; though NYA did occasionally add a point, the Falcons ultimately earned the 14-8 W.

Kurry had high praise for her goaltender, Molly Lane, as well. “Molly’s awesome,” she said. “Molly’s been playing really well, and this was definitely a good game for her.”

In addition to Martin and Broderick’s combined six goals (and one assist, by Martin), Courtney Broderick contributed two, and Fosberg, Johnson (who also had three assists), Johnston, Cartmell, Julia Dearden, and Nina Moore each contributed one.

“It’s not one player trying to take the ball to the goal, it’s relying on many players,” Kurry said. “We try to have more than one person score goals, so [the other team doesn’t] know who to mark. When we remember to do that, we play very well.”

Freeport is likely to face Morse in an upcoming playoffs bracket (specifically, on Saturday, June 14), though Morse, as the No. 3 seed, has to play a quarterfinal round (again, Freeport has a bye.) Morse faces Camden Hills, who they defeated by comfortable margins twice in the regular season, so Kurry’s mind is on the Shipbuilders.

“We’ve scrimmaged them, we’ve played them in the regular season, their coach has come to watch us play, many times,” Kurry says of the Falcons’ knowledge of Morse. “We haven’t played our best game with them, so I’m hoping that the third time, we can. When we scrimmaged them, we lost, and when we played them in the regular season, we won in overtime, so it was really close.”

But Kurry is confident that the Falcons have improved in the areas that previously have cost them against the Shipbuilders – pass accuracy, for instance. “We just have to be ready.”

Freeport’s Lizzy Martin and NYA’s Emily Taylor race for a loose ball Wednesday afternoon.Falcon Emily Sturtevant guards against NYA’s Juliana Tardif.Julie Fosberg carries the ball in Freeport’s 14-2 victory at home against NYA on Wednesday. Panther Acacia Bright pursues.Courtney Broderick fights to stay a step ahead of McKensie Sangster.Emily Johnson, of Freeport, and NYA opponent Acacia Bright chase a loose ball Wednesday afternoon.Meredith Broderick carries the ball upfield at home Wednesday afternoon.Nina Moore rips a shot at the NYA net Wednesday afternoon.