JAY — Four Jay High School seniors were part of a landmark first girls’ soccer game three autumns ago.

None of them were about to let the Tigers fall short in their potential last home game Thursday afternoon.

Beth Moore scored one of Jay’s goals and Alannah White assisted the other in a 2-0 Mountain Valley Conference victory over Mt. Abram.

Their senior classmate, Katie Beaulieu, made all five of her saves in the second half to protect the first shutout win of the season for the Tigers (5-6-2). Jay’s only previous goose egg was a scoreless tie against Carrabec.

Jay is wrapping up its first season as a stand-alone program. Moore, White, Beaulieu and forward Britni Hutchinson were freshmen when the school launched a cooperative team with Livermore Falls.

Prior to that, girls’ soccer was a club sport, with a few female players suiting up for the boys’ team.

“This is the first time we’ve ever beaten Mt. Abram, and it feels great,” Moore said.

The Tigers avenged a 3-0 road loss to the Roadrunners (2-7-4) three weeks ago.

“We played much better this time,” said Beaulieu.

Junior Alexi Deering punctuated a first half of consistent Jay pressure and put the Tigers on the board with 4:22 remaining.

White made it possible, serving up a spinning kick from the far sideline, 35 yards away.

Mt. Abram goalkeeper Allison Lopez watched the ball veer toward the cage and charged to stop it. Deering arrived at the same time, came away with the 50-50 ball and rifled home an uncontested, short-range shot.

“We wanted to score first,” said Jay coach Jon Blaisdell. “It’s tough to come back against Mt. Abram, because they defend so well. Our goal was to get that first goal. We came out pretty pumped up.”

Indeed, it was the Roadrunners’ defense — a group that has flexed its muscles in wins over Jay and Carrabec and Heal Point-worthy ties against Dirigo, Georges Valley, Carrabec and Mountain Valley — that kept the issue in doubt.

Elise Luce, Molly McCafferty, Brianna Daly and Holly Thomas each were central figures for the Roadrunners, who fought off six Jay corner kicks in the first half.

Moore’s powerful throw-ins also led to numerous Jay runs.

Mt. Abram reversed Jay’s 9-2 early advantage in shots on goal with a second-half flurry.

Moore made Jay’s third and final scoring bid after intermission count, however. Deering delivered the ball backward to Moore, whose 40-yard boot grazed a leaping Lopez’s fingertips and found the net.

“I was calling for a back pass, and I just got my foot on it as hard as I could,” Moore said. “I guess it sealed the game.”

Lindsey Allen, Emily Acritelli and Moore highlighted the defensive effort in front of Beaulieu for the Tigers, who likely locked up a Western Class C playoff bid with the victory.

Jay is sixth in the current Heals, with nine teams making the tournament. Mt. Abram stands seventh.

“The seniors stepped up. I couldn’t be happier with the way they played,” Blaisdell said. “We have 16 kids. That’s our whole program, and a couple of them had never played soccer before.”

koakes@sunjournal.com