Girls' Lacrosse Comeback Falls Short Against Belmont

The girls’ lacrosse team fought back from a 6-2 halftime deficit Thursday to pull within one of visiting Belmont with 15 minutes still left to play.

However, Belmont would go on a 5-0 run, as they did to end the first half, to extend their lead to six, at 12-6, with about eight minutes on the clock. Woburn would make a final push, scoring the game’s last four goals, but ultimately run out of time, falling 12-10 to the second-place Marauders (8-2).

“This was definitely an improvement over our last couple games,” Woburn coach Maggie Meagher said. “We’re starting to come together as a team and tie up some loose ends.”

The Tanners took an early 2-1 lead, with goals from Carly Pender and Shannon Maguire.

Then, despite some impressive saves from Woburn goalie Alex Varoutsos, Belmont closed out the half of on a 5-0 run.

Caroline McCarthy had three first-half goals for Belmont, Katie Leinbach two and Izzy Goldstein one.

Woburn then began the second half on a 4-1 run, with senior Colleen Martell scoring the team’s first two goals, followed by teammates Lauren Graham and Maguire.

Martell and Maguire led Woburn’s offense up front, along with teammate Siobhan Duran, while Allie and Jackie Santullo and Erin Marshall headed the Tanners’ transition game.

Melissa Habelow score Belmont’s first goal of the second half. Then, after Woburn’s 4-1, Belmont’s Britta Marden answered Maguire’s goal seconds later to push the lead back to two, at 8-6.

From there, Belmont’s Erin O’Donovan, McCarthy (4 goals), Leinbach (3 goals) and Marden again all netted unanswered goals to make it 12-6.

Duran, Cassandra Connolly, Jackie Santullo and Maguire (3 goals) each had a goal in Woburn’s closing effort to pull back within two, at 12-10.

Belmont goalie Katy Ananian also had a number of key saves, including one right before Maguire’s last goal that ultimately prevented it from becoming a one-goal game in the final minutes.

Woburn returns to action at Burlington on Monday, while Belmont travels to Lexington for a 3 p.m. game Saturday.