SACO — With a young defense made even younger by some pregame lineup shifting, the Thornton Academy field hockey team knew keeping a strong Marshwood attack off the board early would be crucial to any success Wednesday night.

But the Hawks got on the board not once but twice early, and rode that surge all the way to a win.

Claudia Folger scored off of a penalty corner eight minutes in, and Lindsey Poirier added a second score nine minutes later on a tremendous individual effort as Marshwood topped the Golden Trojans 2-0 in an SMAA game at Hill Stadium

Marshwood is now 2-1 after an opening-game loss to perennial power Scarborough, while Thornton dropped its second game in three days to fall to 1-2.

“We didn’t really look like ourselves,” Thornton coach Lori Smith said. “They’re a very good passing team, and we were playing a lot individually and not passing as well or as quick as we usually do. People didn’t know where anybody was in that first half.”

Looking to help out her forward line, Smith moved starting midfielders Grace Pickering and Dorina Sirois farther up the field, a move that paid off in the opening minutes as the Trojans controlled play and field position.

But after a quick counter, the Hawks were awarded three consecutive penalty corners and found the back of the net on the third one as Folger got her stick on to the ball in a scrum in front of the net and swept it past Thornton goalie Isabella Capozzi (three saves).

“I moved some people around after last game, and then ended up moving them back,” Smith said. “That caused a few corners, and that can wear you down and get you tired.”

“That was a good finish,” Marshwood coach Lisa Truesdale said of Folger’s goal. “That’s what you like to see as a coach is that kind of finishing in the circle.”

The Hawks doubled the lead with 12:36 left in the half thanks to its senior standout Poirier, who after forcing a turnover near midfield, got up a full head of steam and dribbled around two Thornton defenders before pulling up at the top of the circle. Setting herself, Poirier wound up and smacked a hard shot that left Capozzi with little chance to make the save, putting the score at 2-0.

“Last year, when we played them there, they won 1-0. And it was the one time we stopped pressuring her, she shot and scored from the top of the circle,” Smith said of Poirier. “I told them that coming into this, but we’re a little younger this year, and I didn’t want them so focused on one player that they forgot to play.”

Poirier had been dealing with a niggling injury coming into the season and didn’t start Wednesday before coming off the bench as an impact substitute.

“I’m sure it’s been tough for her to be a spectator and watching,” Truesdale said. “She hasn’t been practicing 100 percent, so it must have been nice for her to go down and do that.”

After totaling just two shots on goal in the first half, Thornton came out much stronger in the second half, but still had a hard time creating solid chances on Hawks’ goalie Cassidy Smith (seven saves).

The first true opportunity came with 12 minutes to play as a bouncing ball from the left made its way past Smith and to Thornton forward Alicyn Romprey, who tried to stuff it in from close range. But a recovering Smith made a sliding stop, knocking Romprey’s stick clean out of her hands in the process.

“We did start to get a little complacent, which I was worried about, settling on two goals,” said Truesdale, whose team had just one second-half shot on goal. “(Thornton) could have scored at any time because they had some decent shots on goal, and that could have changed the tempo.

“But I thought Cassidy had some really clutch saves. She was very composed. It was excellent play from her.”

The Trojans had one more shot at closing the gap with five minutes to play as a penalty corner was worked to the top of the circle for a hard shot on goal. Smith was up to the task with a pad stop, but the rebound was there to be had for any Trojans crashing the net. But the only players around Smith were Hawks defenders, who cleared the ball away from danger.

“We’re not following our shots. They’re getting off their shots, and then watching and not rushing the pads,” Smith said. “I think they want to score so bad each person they forget to follow the ball. Their goalie was so stationary that if they were on her pads, they could have just got a little tip in.

“We need to turn our attention to offense. Our lines are playing very separate from each other. They’re playing well, but there’s not cohesion yet across the field. We need to work on keeping our shape and doing less individual work and more team work.”

— Staff Writer Cameron Dunbar can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 323 or cdunbar@journaltribune.com.