Medomak Valley boys soccer team scored two first-half goals, then held on for a wet and wild second half to beat Belfast 2-1 Friday in Waldoboro. The win was the Panther’s first of the season.
Zidane McMurrin scored two penalty kick goals in the first half; both called for Belfast hand balls in the penalty box. The Panthers out shot the Lions 19-4 in first-half action, but were unable to get a shot past Sam Kulikowski and Garrett Hamlin, in net for Belfast.
Steady rain and a soggy field led to sloppy play in the second half. The Lions held a 12-11 advantage in shots in the second half.
Ollie Brown came up with a big defensive stop eight minutes into the second half. David Flood converted a rebounded block to pull the Lions within one with 32:25 to play. Panther keeper Noah Beck made two diving blocks in a wild scramble in the box off a direct kick, before Flood walked it in with Beck down.
With the goal, the momentum of the game shifted to the Lions. Another Lions scramble in front of the Panther net saw Belfast smash a shot off the cross bar, and Beck stopped their second effort.
Jonathan Allard came up big on the defensive end, stopping numerous Belfast breaks in the second half. Clarence Porter made a goal line stop with his chest with Beck down with four minutes to play. A minute later, Porter made another big clear out of the Panther’s box.
Beck made 13 saves for the Panthers, and Kulikowski 14 and Hamlin 7 for the Lions.
