MORGANTOWN — Keep your foot on the gas – or on their necks.
Ever since humans have chased a ball, called it a sport, and kept score, certain truths have emerged and remained relevant, including this one: Whatever you’ve been doing to put your opponent in trouble, keep doing it.
On Tuesday, as a cold, drenching rain persisted, the top-ranked University High girls’ lacrosse team battled No. 2 George Washington in the WVSLA state tournament semifinals, and carried a three-goal lead and a three-woman advantage into the final 12 minutes of play – and they almost didn’t make it to Saturday’s finals.
Almost.
After surrendering the tying Patriots goal with 1:19 to play, Hawks attacker Baylee Wilson converted a pass from teammate Jillian Benn with just 56 seconds left to survive and advance with a thrilling, 11-10 victory.
Off for two weeks heading into the game, and perhaps with the memory of their 19-8 win over George Washington earlier in the year, University (14-1) started off sluggish, as the Patriots (14-4) burst out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first four minutes. But the patented, quick-strike UHS offense finally kicked into gear at the 5:08 mark, when Sela Byers bounced a shot past GW’s stingy goalie, senior Kelsie Hodges (13 saves for the game). When Adrienne Riger, Anna Nichols, and Wilson tacked on goals, the last with a foreshadowing 41 seconds left in the quarter, UHS had a 4-2 lead.
George Washington scored early in the second quarter immediately after killing off a UHS man-up advantage to pull closer, but Carly Greathouse and Wilson answered for the Hawks to build a 6-3 lead. But the resilient Patriots reeled off three straight goals to knot the score at 6-all until another late Hawks goal – this one from Benn off a great Greathouse feed with just 19 ticks on the first half clock – nudged UHS ahead at the break.
Down a man to begin the second half, the Patriots once again stifled the Hawks’ offense, then scored the equalizer at 9:31. But another offensive burst from University netted three goals (two straight from Anna McBee and Wilson’s third) in a span of 2:51 pushed the lead back up to three at 10-7. And in the last four minutes of the quarter, GW committed their fourth yellow card infraction of the game, forcing them to play a man down for the rest of the game. Shortly after, another yellow card put the Patriots down two heading into the final frame.
With such a goal and numbers advantage, the Hawks chose to slow the game down, keep possession, and run as much clock as they could, especially after GW committed another yellow card infraction took another player off the field. After a strategic time-out from George Washington coach J.D. Hodges, the Patriots found another gear that the Hawks didn’t match. Patriots Midfield Maisie Bishop completed her hat trick at 8:09 to climb within two, the Hawks hit a pair of posts and Hodges made a pair of key saves, and when GW attack Maggie Hill scored after somehow slipping free in front with 4:25 left, the momentum had decidedly shifted. It seemed almost inevitable when, with just over a minute to go, Kristen Dettinger got loose at the 10-meter line and fired a shot into the corner to stun the Hawks and tie the score at 10-10.
The draw would be crucial, and after the Hawks finally won it – their only draw won in the fourth quarter – they drove into position, and with purpose and confidence that had been missing all quarter, attacked the net. Benn drove hard down the left side, then found Wilso in front, who caught the pass in traffic, wheeled and fired a low shot into the corner to put the Hawks back on top. GW won the subsequent draw and sprinted into the zone, desperate for another goal to send the game into overtime. But strong defensive marking and a key save from senior Lucy Lambert, her ninth and biggest of the game, finally shut the door on the Patriots attempt at a miracle comeback.
“I think I had a couple heart attacks for sure,” said relieved UHS coach Hailey Mostacciuolo after the game. “Once we were up by a couple goals and they were down a couple players, we wanted to possess the ball, catch our breath a little on offense, make them chase and wear down. We just couldn’t get a shot to go in. We also tried a defensive alignment change to slow them down that in retrospect didn’t work like we wanted it to. But you must give GW credit. They did not quit, and they never lost their fight. They did everything they could, and they are a very good team, and they pushed us as far as we can be pushed.
“But,” she continued with a smile, “we found a way to win. We played strong, positive, intentional lacrosse at big times in the match, especially when we were responding to adversity, and I know that when we play for each other and link our passes effectively, we are at our best. And as long as we do that – and don’t look at the scoreboard too closely – that’s what we need to do to be successful.”
The Hawks will face the winner of the Morgantown-Martinsburg semifinal game in Saturday’s 4 p.m. state championship, at Mylan Pharmaceutical Stadium.
