Long Island Wins Top Flight at USL WDNT
by Brian Logue | Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff
BEL AIR, Md. – Long Island rolled past Baltimore 15-8 to capture the top flight in the Schoolgirl Division at the US Lacrosse Women's Division National Tournament, presented by deBeer and the Heather Leigh Albert Foundation. It was the first title in the top flight for a team for New York since 2006.
Baltimore jumped out to an early 2-1 lead, but Long Island ripped off fourth straight goals – two by Mikaela Rix – and never trailed again. Baltimore, which had rallied from a three-goal halftime deficit to beat Philly in the semifinals – got a goal by Brooks Lawler to open the second half to cut Long Island's lead to 7-5. Cortney Fortunato, Rix and Taylor Ranftle then scored three straight goals and Long Island cruised to the victory.
Rix led Long Island with five goals while Fortunato added three. Caroline Seats led Baltimore with three goals.
Long Island also won a championship in the Seneca Division with a 10-8 victory DC Metro 2. Baltimore Metro 3 captured the Oneida Division with a 12-10 win over previously unbeaten Hudson Valley. In the Tuscarora Division, South Florida rolled to a 15-5 victory over Philly, its second consecutive bracket championship at the event. South Florida won the Mohawk Division last year. This year in the Mohawk Division, Texas staged a dramatic rally to beat Nor Cal 9-8. Nor Cal led 7-2 at the break before Texas came back to win its first ever title at the event. In the Cayuga Division, Washington bounced back from its only loss of the tournament to beat Indiana/Kentucky 12-5. It was the first championship for Washington state after falling to Nor Cal in last year's championship.
In the Seniors Only Division, Royal (Philly area) beat Forest (Maryland/Virginia) 17-7 to win the championship.
Following the conclusion of the tournament, the Heather Leigh Albert Award was presented to the outstanding player in the Schoolgirls Division. For the second straight year, Philly's Taylor Trimble won the award. Trimble, a junior at the Episcopal Academy (Pa.), led Philly 1 to a third place finish in the top flight. The finalists were:
- Corinne Etchison (Baltimore Metro 1, McDonogh)
- Chelsea Landon (Eastern Lower New England 1, Noble & Greenough)
- Kelly McPartland (Long Island Metro 1, Farmingdale)
- Anna Salemo (Colorado, Heritage)
- Brigid Smith (DC Metro 1, Good Counsel)
- Courtney Swan (South Florida, Vero Beach)
- Taylor Trimble (Philly 1, Episcopal Academy)
- Courtney Valdez (So Cal, Foothill)
Georgetown's Ashby Kaestner received the Aimee Willard Award as the outstanding collegiate player in the tournament. Kaestner, competing in the Stars & Stripes Division, led her team to a championship and the President's Cup.
Championship Scores:
Onondaga: Long Island Metro 1 d. Baltimore Metro 1, 15-8
Seneca: Long Island Metro 3 d. DC Metro 2, 10-8
Oneida: Baltimore Metro 3 d. Hudson Valley, 12-10
Tuscarora: South Florida d. Philly 4, 15-5
Mohawk: Texas d. Nor Cal, 9-8
Cayuga: Washington d. Indiana/Kentucky, 12-5 (round robin game
decided winner)
Seniors Only: Royal d. Forest, 17-7
