Bow senior forward Shire Kelley needed to get rolling after a 2-0 loss to Souhegan on Tuesday. Lebanon was on the receiving end of the Falcons’ need for a bounce-back win on their senior night Wednesday.
Bow faced an ascendant Lebanon team, but escaped with some late goals to win 5-1. Sophomore Ainsley Herrick opened the scoring in the first quarter, followed by Kelley with a reverse shot that lasered across the goal and hit the boards.
Despite being 10-1, the Falcons still feel like they have something to prove after finishing runners-up to Souhegan in 2025. They returned their entire squad from last year except for the lone senior and captain Josie Johnson. The seven seniors playing for Bow this year have reached the final four every year of high school, but are still hunting that state championship title.
“It’s almost better being the underdog, because we know we have that motivation to beat them next time,” Kelley said.
Head coach Sarah Vaughn is relying on her seven seniors, half of the 14-player squad, to carry the team forward. The defeat against Souhegan echoed last year’s championship, but she knows they can continue to work toward the final goal this next month. There’s still time to learn before facing the Sabers again.
The Raiders’ (7-5) rise has shaken up Division II, still largely dominated by the Falcons and the Souhegan Sabers. The program is filled with young talent looking to make it into the playoffs after a four-win season in 2025.
They gave Bow a run for their money. After Bow’s initial two goals, Lebanon freshman Claire Swope was left wide open, one-on-one on a breakaway against senior goalie Aubrey Merrill, and she finished with a strong reverse shot that was nearly saved but deflected into goal.
Lebanon’s “small but fierce” senior goalie Taylor Youngman faced countless shots and attacks from Bow, said head coach Amanda Vallieres.
Her heroic kicks, clears and saves kept the game very close through the better part of three quarters. Youngman faced 10 corners, none of which Bow was able to convert, and made 19 saves to keep the Raiders in contention. Vallieres knows the team can continue to work on footwork and getting sticks down to plug up offenses like Bow’s.
“Part of it has got to be taking a mental pause after this,” said Vallieres, whose team was also coming off a back-to-back. “Knowing that, we don’t love the score, but what was the game itself and getting back into being confident.”
Toward the end of the third quarter, Kelley buried her second goal of the day assisted by junior midfielder Peyton Vaughn, with four seconds left. That one was deflating after gritty defending through 8 penalty corners and multiple saves trying to close out the period.
Vaughn scored twice in the fourth to bury the game. Bow’s last goal came from quick-paced passing up the right sideline from Herrick to senior Gianna Trott, who found Vaughn wide open.
Senior midfielder Kaylee Jacques and senior defender Madelyn Hebert said those plays just come naturally.
“We’ve been playing together…” Hebert began.
“For so long,” Hebert and Jacques said in unison.
They both recognized ways the team can keep improving. On corners was one, Jacques said, and on tracking back as a defensive unit to stop dangerous attackers like Swope, Hebert said.
Bow’s next game is at home Friday against St. Thomas at 4 p.m.
Lebanon will get a long break and also play St. Thomas in its next game at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at home.