The LS girls Varsity Lacrosse season began their 2014 season last week. The Warriors have a promising team. They return nine seniors and added in freshmen Caleigh Simons, Courtney Quirk and Jill Farabaugh. Also new to the team this season are junior Annie Maguire and sophomores Emily Gorman and Makayla Ward. The team will be led by senior captains Eliza Guild, Meg Cahill and Caitlin Hullinger.
The team warmed up for the season by playing in a jamboree in Needham on Saturday. This was the first opportunity for first year LS coach Bowen Holden to see her girls in game action. LS played against very good competition with games against Needham, Winchester, defending division 1 state champions Notre Dame Academy and Westwood, which may be the strongest team in the state. Overall LS gave a good showing and the tournament gave them a chance to get acclimated to game speed.
The regular season opened at home on Monday against non-league opponent Masconomet. In the first few minutes of the game, Masco put a great deal of pressure on LS. Senior goalie Meg Mullin was brilliant. She frustrated the Masconomet offense by stopping 7 shots in the first 15 minutes of the game. Mullin kept her team in the game early and gave LS a chance to settle the game down. LS took advantage of the situation and ran a very patient offense. Their overall passing and shooting was crisp and they went ahead 5-3 with just a couple of minutes left in the half. However Masconomet didn’t fold. They picked up some new energy, won a few draws in a row, charged quickly upfield and scored a few quick goals to take a 6-5 lead into halftime.
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The second half opened with LS regaining control. They were excellent on the draws and also forced quite a few turnovers on defense. The Warriors dominated the second half. The final score as 13-7 with LS getting four goals from Emma Palumbo, three from Courtney Quirk, two each from Guild and Whitney Hartstone and single goals from Elizabeth Krumsiek and Ali Joseph.
On Thursday LS went on the road to play archrival and Dual County League opponent Acton Boxboro. LS again showed their patient offense while mixing in some quick transitions from defense.
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After Guild opened the scoring with a 8 meter free position, AB won the draw and fired a shot on Mullin who made the save. Mullin threw a quick outlet pass to Hullinger who raced the ball upfield. She found Cahill with a pass who rolled in front of the net and fired a low show for a 2-0 lead. A draw win for LS resulted in another Guild goal and a quick 3-0 lead forcing AB to use a time out to slow LS down. The strategy worked as AB got the next two goals. LS however regained control. Tough defense forced AB into turnovers resulting in transition goals for Cahill and Emily Gorman and a nice goal from Clara Bisson who used her speed to beat two defenders from the 12 meter line. LS led 7-2 at the half.
In the second half the teams traded goals but the poise shown by the Warriors kept AB from getting too close. Eliza Guild had a monster game scoring 7 goals by consistently weaving around multiple defenders and firing hard accurate shots to every corner of the net. Other goals were scored by Hartstone on a nice drive from the 12 meter line around two defenders. Palumbo added two goals including a crease roll from behind the net around two defenders. LS led 13-5 with five minutes left. AB increased the pressure for the remainder of the game but the outcome was never in doubt. The final score was LS 13, AB 9.
The Warriors have a large challenge on the road Tuesday against Westford Academy. Last season the Grey Ghosts were a strong, skilled, fast team. It will be a good test for the Warriors.
courtesy Bob Palumbo
