After a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Nantucket to start the season, life has gotten a lot easier for the Lady Dragons, who pummeled Pembroke, 9-0, and then shutout Middleboro, 5-0, to stretch their record to 3-0.

The defending Patriot League champs now face a stretch of games against the iron of the league that could well determine who can give them their biggest challenge in 2011.

After Monday’s battle with Hingham, Duxbury takes on its biggest foe on Wednesday afternoon when it battles Hanover High School, a perennial thorn in its side. Two days later they will entertain Silver Lake with a better understanding of where they stand in league play.

The win over Pembroke was highlighted by the scoring talents of junior Hannah Murphy, the Lady Dragons’ leading goal scorer in 2010, who notched a hat-trick in pursuit of yet another record-setting year in scoring goals. The game’s scoring was evenly divided, as senior Molly Zaverucha (2), senior Martha Findley (2), senior captain Cory Connolly, and freshman Bella McCann also found the back of the net.

Coach Pam Manley played her entire bench and praised her team for the way they played.

“After a tight game with Nantucket, we came out and played with abandon,” said Manley. “Our forwards really did a great job today.”

The team didn’t let up against Middleboro, as Zaverucha (2) and Murphy combined for three goals, while sophomore Lily Smith and JV call-up Carly Campbell, who scored her first varsity goal, contributed to the shutout win.

“We did a good job at controlling the ball and getting everyone involved,” said Manley.