Sports

Girls High School Lacrosse Team Loses to Green

The team lost by one April 29.

The Lady Bulldogs continue to show improvement on the field, but cannot break through in the win column as they fell 16-15 on April 29 to Green at Infocision Field. 

Things started poorly as Green took the opening draw, ran downfield and scored after only 20 seconds. But Kelly Vitt showed the maroon and gold were going to fight as she answered with her first goal one minute later.

Green put back a rebound off an Erin Wright block to edge ahead, then thwarted the Stow posession on the other end. As they passed the ball upfield, Megan Garrison made an acrobatic interception at midfield, relayed the ball to Vitt, who raced to the left corner and threaded a pass to Jessie Swanger as she crossed from left to right.

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Swanger stabbed the pass and drilled it past the Green goalkeeper. Green scored again at the 18 minute mark, and the momentum seemed to swing further toward the hosts as Vitt was carded on a questionable call, leaving the Bulldogs shorthanded for three minutes. 

But the Stow defense rose to the occasion. The senior-led defensive line of Sierra Billhimer, Katie Hill, Gina Bonfiglio, and Kendall Lang, backed by stellar play in goal by Erin Wright swept away several scoring chances. In addition, midfielders Kelsie Hengle, Amanda Cooper, Garrison, and Swanger dropped down to assist the defensive effort. 

Stow mounted an offensive charge and earned a free position shot by Hengle which she drilled between the goalkeeper's feet and evening the score.

Green scored 2 goals in a single minute stretch, but Stow responded as Charlie Baliman found Garrison in front of the goal, and she shot a laser to the back of the net. Green scored three more in a 4 minute span to create a cushion before Sam Banks scored for the maroon and gold off a free position shot. Green answered with a goal with only 34 seconds on the clock to take a 9-5 halftime lead.

The start of the second half saw Green repeat the first play of the game, extending the lead to 5, and Stow seemed to be at risk of collapse, but started to scramble for loose balls and win the draw to gain possession.

First Garrison converted off an assist by Hengle. Then Hengle made two remarkable drives on goal, drawing fouls on the defense and converting two consecutive penalties to give the maroon and gold new life.

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Green scored another goal at the 21:22 mark to re-establish command at 11-8. Gina Bonfiglio took possession behind the Green goal, crossed behind and hesitated while the defender committed, then she darted to the left edge, emerged from behind the goal and fired a shot to the low corner, bringing Stow back within 2. 

Then it was Vitt’s turn to take over as she drove to the circle and challenged the defense. Her free position shot narrowed the score to 11-10. Green drew their second yellow card, and Vitt took advantage by once more driving to the top of the arc and earning a penalty shot. When her shot reached the back of the net, Stow had completed a strong comeback to knot the score at 11. Only 20 seconds later, Alexa McCauley scored on a slashing drive to the right side of the goal and the Stow team had taken the lead.

Green then scored a shorthanded goal at the 7 minute mark, converting a nifty backhanded flip to the net. But Stow edged again once more as Garrison’s blast to the upper corner stretched the back of the net.

Green earned a penalty shot at the 5:30 mark and converted for the lead. Two minutes later they scored once more off a well-executed pass which was flicked into the goal. Two more goals increased the lead to 16-13 with only 3 minutes left. 

Green tried to play keep away, but Stow stole the ball and advanced it to the offensive end, where Banks beat the goalie for her second goal of the night, with only 1:11 remaining. Incredibly, Stow regained possession and Garrison scored once more to narrow the lead to one with 51 seconds left. Green won the draw and advanced but the Bulldogs took it away in the defensive end. 

Unfortunately the Bulldogs were unable to advance the ball past midfield as the time expired. Erin Wright recorded 14 saves in goal for Stow. 

Editor's note: Mark Bonfiglio submitted information for this story.


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