By Matt Stout
Staff Writer

Emily Parker launches a shot on net during practice last week. Thanks to a more dangerous offense, Pembroke has strung together five straight wins. (Hooksett Banner/Matt Stout)

Some teams talk about team chemistry. If the brownies are any indication, the Pembroke Academy girls soccer team literally feasts on it.

With another practice in the books on Thursday, Oct. 5, the 15 or 16 girls who made it to the Buck Street fields that afternoon gathered around coach Steve Langevin, a pan of chocolate baked goods in his hand, to sing junior Cassie Raymond’s praises.

A birthday, of course, usually prompts a song or two, but for a team that’s come together despite a rash of injuries, sickness and early season roadblocks, the Spartans have a lot to celebrate.

Entering play Wednesday, Oct. 11, Pembroke had won five straight for a 9-2-1 record and fourth place in Class I.

The girls haven’t allowed a goal in four games while scoring 16 of their own, the offense coming from everywhere.

In an 8-0 win over Plymouth on Sept. 29, six different players scored. Three people tallied goals in a 4-0 win over Merrimack Valley on Oct. 4, and three others scored in a 3-0 win over Monadnock on Friday, Oct. 6.

Already without sophomore goalie Kaitlyn Moulton, out for the year with a knee injury, Pembroke is also starting to shake the illness bug that hampered the team the last two weeks ­ if a perfect record since a 2-1 overtime loss to Bow on Sept. 20 qualifies as hampered.

“We had a couple games where it seemed like the entire team was sick, so we basically had to play through it,” said senior captain Emily Parker, who, with Alexa Robichaud, has led an offensive resurgence from the midfield. “A lot of people have stepped up, and people who aren’t used to playing have played a lot more to fill other positions.”

When they’re healthy, Langevin said 15 of his players see regular time, and the team’s ability to substitute without a drop in intensity has made the Spartans tough to contain late in games.

Of course, the games haven’t been close in recent weeks. While the Spartans struggled early this year, Langevin said the rough patch toughened his team for the homestretch.

The real turnaround, however, came nearly a month ago. Under the lights and in the rain at Kearsarge on Sept. 14, Erin Keeler’s unassisted goal lifted Pembroke to a 1-0 victory ­ and a new level in confidence.

“They felt like they arrived that night just because they were all over the field,” Langevin said. “You can’t do that game after game, just play at that high level, but we played Bow right after that and lost in overtime. But we didn’t let that get us down, and we kept going after that.”

Senior captain Kylie Beaton, one of just eight returning varsity players, has helped that surge with her team-leading eight goals and 22 points. And she isn’t alone.

Senior keeper Bonnie Smith has stepped up in net, Parker and Sam Beauchesne each have five goals, and standouts like sophomore Kristin Jordan and senior captain Jordan Turnbull have also raised their levels of play.

They look for more of the same when they host Bow on Senior Day on Wednesday, Oct. 18.

“To beat Bow,” Keeler said, “would be the icing on the cake.” Or the brownie.