They were coming off their biggest win of the season with a 4-1 win over Sandwich and morale at a season high. However, the young Lady Dragons still need to learn that every opponent brings it A-game when it faces Duxbury. That was the case on Saturday night at The Bog, as Marshfield battled back from a 3-1 deficit with less than seven minutes to go in the game to tie the Lady Dragons, 3-3.

A lethargic third-period effort by Duxbury allowed the Rams to get back in the game, as they sought to make up for a 3-0 season-opening loss to Coach Friend Weiler’s squad.

“We gave that game away,” said Weiler, who was obviously frustrated with his team’s non-chalant attitude in the final 15 minutes. “We just can’t expect the same people to get it done all the time.”

Duxbury was able to kill a Marshfield power play in the first five minutes, and then got on the board first at the 7:23 mark when junior Briana Connolly dashed into the offensive zone and picked up a loose puck, going in alone on Ram netminder Victoria Langrill to beat her with a backhander for a 1-0 lead.

The Rams had a chance to tie the game with a power-play effort with 3:28 to go in the first period and couldn’t connect, leaving the door open for the Lady Dragons to add to their lead as the period ended when freshman Hannah Murphy buried her shot as the buzzer went off for a 2-0 lead.

The second period produced little for both sides until 2:16 remained. At that point, Murphy picked up a loose puck at center ice and took it over the blue line with some brilliant stickhandling. She moved through the slot at will and beat Langrill for what looked to be an insurmountable 3-0 lead.

The Rams changed their goalie in hopes of shaking up the lineup for the final period, and they got results instantly.

On the power play with just 38 seconds remaining, Marshfield’s Casandra Briffet was credited with a goal on a shot from the point that pin-balled off a couple of players in front before bouncing in off Duxbury goaltender Julia Hannon to cut the lead to 3-1.

With renewed hope, the Rams came out flying in the third period, as they tested Hannon in the first two minutes on a partial break-in.

While the lead appeared safe, it suddenly was in jeopardy, as Marshfield’s star defenseman Katie Conlon blasted a shot from the left point to beat Hannon to make it 3-2 with 6:48 to go.

Trying to hold on, the Lady Dragons did themselves no favors when they drew a penalty with 5:15 to go, and compounded it 17 seconds later with another.

It took the Rams just 10 seconds to tie the match, as Sara Denton made it 3-3 on a tip-in past Hanlon.

Duxbury was now in a dogfight for the remainder of the game, with Connolly showing her abilities all over the ice, as she was robbed twice in the final three minutes before the buzzer ended the game.

It was not one of the Lady Dragons’ better games, as their undisciplined style landed them in the penalty box seven times, while the Rams visited twice.

Earlier in the week Duxbury took on Sandwich (8-1) and defeated the Blue Knights, 4-1, as Kaitlin Sullivan’s first-period goal stood up for two periods before the Lady Dragons exploded.

Third period goals by Lily Connolly, Molly O’Sullivan, and Martha Findley put the hosts away.

The Lady Dragons have a big game on the schedule this Saturday afternoon at 1:20 when they battle with Barnstable at The Bog. The Red Raiders are the only team to have beaten (2-1) Duxbury this year.