It was a historic win Saturday for the Boothbay Region lacrosse team. The Seahawks defeated the Fryeburg Academy Raiders, 8-7, for the team’s first-ever varsity victory.

Boothbay midfielder Lincoln Hamblett scored the first of her two goals two minutes into the game, giving the Seahawks the early lead.  Midfielder Kate Friant paced the Seahawk scoring attack by scoring three of her four goals in the first half. 

Boothbay held a 4-3 halftime lead. Fryeburg Academy tied the score on left wing Hannah Frye’s goal two minutes and 18 seconds into the second half. Boothbay regained the lead four minutes later as attacker Helen Hamblett scored her lone goal. Helen Hamblett sprinted toward Raider goalie Harmony Dagnelt and fired a shot between the defender’s legs.

Boothbay increased its lead to 7-5 with Friant’s last goal and Lincoln Hamblett’s second. Attacker Jackie McLoon scored Boothbay’s last goal with five minutes left. Trailing 8-5 with less than a minute remaining, the Raiders rallied.

Fryeburg midfielder Ali Fraize scored the second of her two goals with 49 seconds left. With Fryeburg trailing by two, the margin was reduced again when Raider cover point Bridget Tweedie scored with 17 seconds left. But the Raiders got no closer.

Despite the two late goals, Boothbay’s defense has been good in the season’s first two contests. The Seahawks have allowed only 13 goals in the first two matches. Lincoln Hamblett attributed the team’s strong play to her teammates being a talkative group.

“Communication has been our focus in practice. And we’ve carried it out to the field. We communicate well in practice which really helps us during games,” she said.

The team is also communicating well on offense. Friant has led the offensive attack by taking cues from her teammates. She has tallied six goals in the first two matches.

As a midfielder, she studies the defense before attacking the cage.

“I watch my teammates cut. I wait for the defense to commit, then I make my move,” Friant said.

Boothbay goalie Page Brown stopped 13 shots. Dagnelt saved nine for Fryeburg Academy.

The Seahawks are 1-1. The Raiders are 0-3.

Boothbay Region’s next game is May 5 at Lawrence High School in Fairfield. The next home game is at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10 versus Lincoln Academy.