Down to Four: US Lacrosse U-15 Girls Title on Line
by Paul Krome | Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff
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Sam Babbitt and Cardinal (Va.) Girls rallied from a five-goal second half deficit to beat Top of the Bay (Md.) 11-10 in the quarterfinals. © Scott McCall |
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – A battle for state bragging rights, a traditional power and a team on a 3,000-mile journey highlight Tuesday's girls' semifinal matchups in the 2010 US Lacrosse Under-15 National Championship at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Fourteen teams have survived five games in two days of soaring heat, setting the stage for tomorrow's final day of competition.
Top-seeded Yellow Jackets (N.Y.) had little trouble in a 17-1 quarterfinal win over ninth-seeded Lax Maniax (Fla.). The Jackets cruised through pool play Sunday to earn a bye in the round of 16, which began today's play. Cortney Fortunato led the Jackets with five goals in the quarters. Lax Maniax got to the quarters with a 15-14 nailbiter over Team 180 (Colo.), staging a dramatic comeback behind an eight-goal effort from Hannah Bolt.
The fourth-seeded Pacific (Calif.) Falcons have journeyed across the country for good reason, having beaten 13-seed Georgia (17-6) and fifth-seeded Minnesota (15-6) in bracket play. They'll try to slow down the Yellow Jackets in one semifinal at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
By contrast, today's second slate of quarterfinals had much more drama than the first, and the result is a battle for the pride of Virginia. Third-seeded Stars Gold (Va.) rallied from an 8-3 deficit against sixth-seeded and upstart Nor Cal Elite from the West Coast, ultimately forcing overtime at 10 and winning, 12-10. Not to be outdone, fellow Old Dominion representative and seventh-seeded Cardinal (Va.) rallied from a 9-4 deficit to stun second-seeded Top of the Bay (Md.), 11-10. The Virginia teams' players and coaches hugged and celebrated together late this afternoon, but it's unlikely they'll be doing the same at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday when they meet for a right to appear in the championship game.
Nor Cal used four consecutive goals from Michaela Michael to surge ahead 8-3, but Stars Gold started to recapture the momentum late in the first half, benefitting from a buzzer-beater by Avery Donahoe. Stars Gold eventually tied the game at 8 before Lauren Dougherty scored twice for Nor Cal. Kelly Myers and Parker Garrett tied the game for Stars Gold, the latter at 1:48. In the first three-minute overtime period, Darby Philbrick scored at :24, and in the second three-minute overtime, Corinne Wessels iced it at 2:24.
Cardinal trailed 4-1 and 9-4 to Top of the Bay, which earned a first-round bye with a 3-0 mark in pool play. Sisters Caroline (3g), Meredith (3g) and Lauren (2g, 1a) Haggerty provided much of Top of the Bay's lead. But behind four goals from Alexandra Condon, Cardinal tied the game at 9 and then again at 10. Tori Anderson then netted the winner with 50 seconds remaining. Goalie Crawford Horan finished with 12 saves, including a couple from close range in the closing minutes, to help Cardinal pull the upset. A final shot by Top of the Bay near the buzzer sailed wide.
Tuesday's semifinal winners will meet at noon for the US Lacrosse U15 National Championship. A third-place game will begin at 11 a.m.
