Early Fire Gives Rams Win Over Brookfield

The second-seeded Rams girls lacrosse team moves into the semifinal round of the state tournament with a 15-11 win over No. 7 seed Brookfield at Dunning Field on Monday afternoon.

The Rams were out of the gate quickly Monday. They scored four goals in the first four minutes with Anjalie Chrisitie scoring the first three. She scored the first less than two minutes in on an assist from Olivia Hompe, a second goal just 30 seconds later on a free positon, and a third off a nifty a pick and cut that would have made a basketball coach proud.

"We've been working on our motion offense lately and it really helped us open up some lanes today," said Christie.

The Rams' fourth goal was the result a sprint almost the length of the field featuring crisp passing along the way that resulted in a goal by Kacey Pippitt that made it 4-0.

New Canaan continued to score with Elizabeth DeTour, Christie again and Hompe making it a 7-0 game with over eight minutes still remaining in the first half.

Brookfield's Kathryn Marron scored the first of her five goals with Emily Leonard scoring 30 seconds later to make it 7-2, but there was Christie with her fifth goal to give the Rams a six-goal lead. Erin Fessler made it 9-2.

But the Bobcats' Leonard, after a second goal by Marron, went almost the length of the field dodging, faking and plain out sprinting for a score to make it 10-4 at the break.

The Bobcats picked up the pace in the second half while the Rams slowed.

Christie opened the half with her seventh goal as the teams traded scores. The Rams continued to maintain a 6- to 8-goal edge, but then Brookfield made a late run. With a little over six minutes remaining, the Bobcats scored four consecutive goals to close to within five of the Rams. Jaclyn Brown made it a 15-11 with  four and a half minutes left but that was as close as the Bobcats would get. 

The Rams won 15-11. 

"We never lost our confidence although our tempo slowed earlier in the half," Pippitt said.

Rams Coach Kristin Wood wasn't worried either about the outcome. But she added, "We didn't play the full fifty minutes and we'll have to correct that quickly." 

Wood singled out Lauren Freeland for her outstanding play in the mid field.

This was the last home game for seven Rams seniors: Leah Taben, Anjalie Christie, Betsy Hart, Shelby Barada, Erin Fessler, Kacey Pippitt and Charlotte Spitfaden.

The Rams will play Glastonbury in a semifinal match on Wednesday at Fairfield Warde; Darien could be ahead in the title game Saturday.