BEDFORD — A storm named Exeter struck quickly and decisively. The Blue Hawks on Tuesday beat Bedford, 6-2, wreaking havoc on any expectation of a closely contested battle between the girls' soccer teams atop the Division I standings.

Exeter erupted with a suddenness and ferocity that would have surpassed weather forecaster predictions. The undefeated defending champs scored during the second minute of play, ultimately dumping four goals on Bedford (7-2-1) before the game was 24 minutes old.

“They played so quick. No matter how tough we played defensively, there was little we could do,” said Michelle Winning, coach of the Bulldog team that reached the Div. II semifinals last season. “We're not used to so many players attacking all at once. They'd get our defense spread out and just attack.”

Bedford entered the game having surrendered just seven goals all season.

Exeter dominated the offensive end by spreading five players across the pitch, making passes across the field in search of a shot. Maggie Couett collected a diagonal pass from Allie Day in the left corner and bent an unsolvable shot high and just inside the far post at 1:56. Day then sent Casey Estey down the center of the pitch for a score before netting her own goal on a give-and-go from Casey Scott, making it 3-0 at 13:33.

Once Couett's crossing pass found Abby Short streaking toward the goal, making it 4-0 at 23:10, the outcome was a foregone conclusion.

“We focus on starting strong,” said Exeter coach Megan Young after her club improved to 11-0, having outscored the opposition, 52-9. “Teams get fired up to play us because we're the defending champs. We try to counteract that by setting the tone early and striking fast.”

Couett's first goal, a stinging-hard 30-yard curve, was a convincing opening statement.

“We have a solid core of players that have been together for a number of years,” said Couett, a senior striker. “We're pretty good at knocking the ball around and possessing it. Once we get on a scoring roll, it's pretty tough to stop us.”

The Blue Hawks scored two second-half goals in a span of 58 seconds. Estey set up Scott's score before Couett assisted on Estey's second goal of the game.

“They are a good team, but I was proud of how we hung in. We were down by four goals but not done playing,” said Winning.

The Bulldogs forced Exeter keeper Jessica Long to make six saves. Jess Joseph scored in the first half and later clanked a shot off the crossbar.

Kelsey Kennedy netted a goal during a corner kick chance. Forwards Jenny Mara and Johanna Celli watched Long stop good scoring bids.

eemmerling@unionleader.com