YORK — This time it was different.

Wells entered Tuesday’s field hockey clash with defending Class B champions (and still undefeated) York flush with confidence and buoyed by a half season’s worth of success.

That’s not how it was the first time the teams met, back on the first day of the season, when the Warriors stepped onto the field, hopeful but a little unsure of themselves.

Even so, then, as on Tuesday, Wells gave the powerful Wildcats all they could handle, but wound up falling by a goal.

Despite the strong netminding job turned in by senior Deanna Gamache, the Warriors fell 2-1.

Wells has lost just twice this season, both of them to the Wildcats, the first by a 1-0 count.

What the Warriors know now that they couldn’t know then was that they were capable of riffling off a string of seven straight wins.

“We knew we had to hustle,” said senior Hilary Bouchard, who netted the lone Warrior goal. “To go after the ball more than we did the last game. (We’re) more confident because we’re further along in the season. We’re playing better each game.”

Said Wells coach Kristen Williams, “I think the first game was tough, because there wasn’t anything to base it off of. We were more nervous than anything. On any given day, anyone’s beatable. I think we can compare to them. We just need to play our game.”

The Warriors played well enough to hold York to a scoreless standoff through the first half.

Both teams had scoring chances, but couldn’t finish.

Gamache came up with a big save on Kellee Cribby in the eighth minute, then dodged a bullet when Steph Lomasney lashed the rebound wide of the open left side.

“I knew coming in,” said York coach, and former U.S. Olympian, Barb Marois, “that it was going to be a strong game. A competitive game. Even when we played them, early, it was the same kind of game. It was a battle. I didn’t expect anything different.”

York snapped the stalemate with two second half goals, scored 1:20 apart by Hannah Keating and Lomasney.

Keating’s came 8:31 into the half, on a perfectly placed shot inside the left post.

Lomasney chopped hers in from the right side.

Gamache had little chance on either shot.

“She (Gamache) is awesome,” said Williams, of her goalkeeper, who has allowed just four goals this season. “Quite frankly, I think I have the best goalie in the league. I would say she’s one of the best goalies in the state.”

Wells sliced the deficit in half, when, with 17 minutes to play, Bouchard scored on a penalty stroke.

It came after York goalie Amanda Kasbohn was called for covering up the ball.

“We practice it throughout the season,” said Bouchard, “so I was pretty confident.”

Bouchard made eye contact with Kasbohn in an attempt to psyche her out, before firing a low shot into the left side.

“I look at the goalie for a few seconds,” Bouchard said. “Just to get them off a little bit. I just aimed for the corner and hoped for the best.”

Bouchard’s goal, just the third allowed by York all season, energized the Warriors for a brief time.

However, the Wildcats held the ball in the Wells end for most of the final 10 minutes.

“We’ll see them again,” said Bouchard. “We’ll (be up) for it.”

Wells will return to action, Thursday (6 p.m.), when Cape Elizabeth will pay a visit.

— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.