Rap music crackled from the loud speakers as the Lady Seahawks warmed up under the bright lights of Sherman Field.

“Work hard, play hard,” pumped the lyrics, a fitting anthem for a team that had fought hard through every game this season.

The Boothbay Region girls varsity soccer team’s perseverance finally paid off, as the Lady Seahawks  (1-12-1) beat the Winthrop Ramblers (0-13-1) making a memorable senior night for Evie Greenleaf, Dana Greenleaf, Hannah Winslow and Ashley Poland.

Despite losing 6-1 to St. Doms on October 17, the number one ranked team in the Class C Conference, the Lady Seahawks brushed off defeat and came into Monday’s game with their heads held high.

“Everyone was so pumped for this game, and we’ve been talking about it like, forever,” said captain Dana Greenleaf. “At first we were a little iffy on communication, but we stepped it up, everyone did and it really showed.”

Boothbay and Winthrop were locked in a rugged stalemate until the final 5 minutes when sweeper Brenna Alley sailed a ball over Winthrop’s defense, deflected off the goalkeeper and was knocked in net by Sinead Miller on the putback. 

The Ramblers never recovered as the Lady Seahawks tasted sweet victory with the cheers of their family and friends from the sidelines.

“I found a ladybug so I knew we were lucky,” said Poland after the game.

For the team, one of the more sentimental moments of senior night was watching teammate Evie Greenleaf kick off the ball at the start of the game. Greenleaf, who has been sidelined all season because of a broken foot, tapped the ball into play for the final game of her high school career.

That tap might have been the magic touch that set the Lady Seahawks surging on offense. Strikers Cagney O’Brien, Sinead Miller and Olivia Zaragozi never took their foot off the gas for 90 minutes, as the momentum stayed with the Lady Seahawks, who were backed by their strong defense that’s been exhibited all season.

“We improved each and every game,” Dana Greenleaf said. “We just kept working hard, and we may not have won, but we got better as a team and that’s all that really matters.”