CCHS Girls Lacrosse: Battling for Middle Ground

The following was provided on behalf of the Concord-Carlisle High School girls lacrosse program.

It’s been a tough season for the CCHS Girls Lacrosse team. With only one senior starter returning and several young, athletic but inexperienced varsity players in the 2013 lineup, Coach Morrison knew in many respects this would be a re-building year for his team.

What was not expected however, were the injuries which continued to pile up and plague the team. With four starters out this week, the timing could not have been worse for CC as they faced Dual County League rival Wayland. Going into Monday’s game the Warriors were 8-1-1, with only a 14-8 loss to undefeated Westford Academy and a 12-12 tie to the Patriots.

With starting center Hannah Dudley out of the line-up, CC managed but 4 draw controls the entire game in a 15-10 loss to Wayland. CC’s offense was led by Emma Mahoney (4 goals, 1 assist) Kate Wyeth (3 goals) and Jenna Carlton (1 goal, 2 assists, 3 caused turnovers). Patriot defender Lucy Fell played exceptionally well face guarding Wayland’s top player, Amy Cunningham, and limiting their ace to only 2 goals.

Wayland’s offense took control of the game early consistently passing to open players who made well placed shots on net that eluded CC goalie Conley Ernst.  Meanwhile the Patriot offense sputtered as  they would connect the dots perfectly for tallies on one series only to turn the ball over on the next. At the half Wayland led 9-4.

The Warriors would stretch their lead by a goal to begin the second half before the Patriots gained traction and went on a four-goal run as Mahoney, Wyeth, Carlton and Olsen each contributed a goal to bring the game back within two at 10-8. 

A Wayland timeout was effective and slowed the CC momentum as the Warriors collected another two goals before the Patriots potted one. Re-energized, the Warriors pressed the CC defense with two consecutive goals coming off an isolation play and a crease roll. The Patriots would manage one final tally to bring the game within three however with only minutes remaining Wayland would take advantage of draw controls to kill the clock.

"Despite being shorthanded the kids  worked hard and made Wayland earn the win" said Coach Paul Morrison. "The team has had to battle through a lot of adversity and they never give up which bodes well for us going forward."

CC 17, Weston 16

The Patriots defeated the Weston Wildcats Thursday 17-16 in a tightly contested lacrosse match.

CC pulled it together in the second half defensively allowing only 5 goals on 12 shots while the offense sprang for 7 second period goals. The Patriots were led by Sr. Tri- Captain Kate Wyeth and Junior Midfielder Becca Olsen as each provided 4 goals. CC Sophomore attack Jenna Carlton supplied both offensive and defensive firepower with 3 goals and 3 caused turnovers.

The Wildcats took control of the game early on by winning the first two draw controls and taking them to goal with well placed shots on CC goalie Maddie Holmes before the Patriots would connect as Olsen would deke three Weston players then find the back of the net. Weston fired back with two more goals to take a 4-1 lead before CC’s Wyeth would add a second tally  bringing the score within two only to have Patriot Freshmen Brianna Stout add a third goal.

An offensive battle then ensued as each offense swapped goal for goal while neither defense was able to stop a shot. Eventually Patriots Wyeth and Carlton would stop the back and forth with back to back goals to tie the game at 10.  The Wildcats would add another goal before the half for good measure to take an 11-10 lead. 

Goalie Conley Ernst took over in net for CC in the second half of the game and blocked three of the next four Wildcat shots. CC’s Hannah Dudley, Lexi Goodhue and Carlton would add back to back to back tallies to  help the Patriots go on to take a one goal lead.

With time waning, CC defenders Halle Burns, Tessa Dibble, Madeline Lahey and Emily Mushlitz ratcheted up their defense while Lucy Fell played her signature defense of slowing down Westons’ top goal producer. Patriot Johanna ONeil continued to solidify her importace as she led the Patriots with 5 draw controls and 4 ground balls.  

With jut over two minutes remaing, CC attacker Goodhue scored her second, and game winning  goal off a free position shot while Ernst sealed the game for the Patriots with a 58 percent earned save average. The Patriots finished by stalling the ball for the remaining 1:39 seconds.

"The tempo of the game determined our strategy from the sideline" said Coach Morrison. "We were scoring on most of our shots so it made sense to keep firing away. Kate (Wyeth) and Becca (Olsen) were asked to step up and they did by scoring four goals each."

Lincoln-Sudbury 7 - CC 6

With less than six minutes remaining and a 6-3 lead, things were looking good for the Patriots last Tuesday. Freshmen Cassidy Hale had just scored on a feed from Hannah Dudley to give the Patriots some added breathing room.

It had been an intense battle as both teams pounced on one another with high-pressure defense and aggressive stick checks. But the Patriots had made the most of their scoring opportunities. And then there was CC goalie Conley Ernst, who was having a stellar performance in net collecting 13 saves on goal while allowing only three goals.

But a well needed timeout by LS Coach DeJesus helped her corral and reinvigorate her troops. It worked, as LS won the next four draws controls and played mistake-free lacrosse. Sharp passing and crisp catching followed by hard drives to goal all resulted in Warrior tallies. Meanwhile the Patriots, who had led the entire game, managed to do little as LS backchecked aggressively causing CC turnovers and missed shots on goals.

CC controlled much of the first half winning the early draw controls and out hustling LS to the ball. Three Patriot goals came as a result, one each by Becca Olsen, Kate Wyeth and Jenna Carlton who’s nifty midfield break away notched the top left hand corner.

Meanwhile Ernst was on fire in net for CC as she frustrated the Warriors with their inability to get the ball by her. Ernst ended the half with 11 saves on 13 shots. CC went into the half with a  3-2 lead.

LS potted an early second half shot to tie the game at 3, but CC retaliated with two goals by Emma Mahoney and Olsen giving CC a 5-3 lead.

Hale’s later goal came following an LS foul on CC’s Mahoney. The midfielder connected with Dudley who in turn found Hale as she cut past two LS defenders and released a well placed shot. Meanwhile CC’s defense continued its  aggressively stance fighting for ground balls and possession. Johanna O Neil, Lucy Fell, Tessa Dibble, Madeline Leahy and Emily Mushlitz all contributed in keeping LS off the board. The Warriors finally connected on a free position shot after a Patriot 3 second violation. Later, CC defender O’Neil would made an incredible defensive play on the ball as LS was awarded an open net free position shot. Crashing hard, the defender deflected the shot on a wide open net to help keep the Patriot lead.

But LS had gained the momentum and continued to press CC. Two critical Patriot turnovers coupled with a shooting foul were all LS needed as they sank their final shots to edge the Pats 7-6 as time ran down.

"Conley Ernst was tremendous in goal." said Morrison. "We haven't given LS a game since 2009, so to come that close and let it slip away was a bitter pill for the team to swallow."