Ridge Girls Lacrosse Tops Northern Highlands 11-3 In Rainy Road Win

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Ridge High School's girls lacrosse team traveled to Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale on Saturday and came away with an 11-3 win in cool, rainy conditions.

The victory moved Ridge to 7-2 on the season after what the team described as a complete four-quarter performance.

Ridge controlled the game from the start, using steady defense and strong play in the draw circle against Northern Highlands.

The road win came against what head coach Olivia Harpel described as a strong opponent and gave Ridge another result built on consistent play at both ends of the field.

"Our team played gritty against Northern Highlands," said Harpel. "It was exciting to see them string together four consistent quarters against a strong opponent."

Rain fell throughout the game, but Harpel said the weather did not change the team's approach. She said both teams had to deal with the same conditions and that competing through them became part of the experience.

"Both teams have to compete when it's hot, cold, or raining," she said. "There is no way around the conditions out of our control, so it's fun to compete despite them and make a good memory through the challenge."

Several players helped power the win. Ridge's defense again anchored the performance, Lexi Hansen stood out in the draw circle, and Emily Green raised her level on offense.

"Our defense continued their solid performance for the team, stepping up again to play together," Harpel said. "Lexi Hansen and our circle play were incredibly competitive, and Emily Green took her game to the next level on offense."

Harpel also pointed to the energy on Ridge's sideline from the opening draw through the final quarter. With a comfortable lead in the fourth, the team had a chance to enjoy the finish together.

"Our sideline had great energy the entire game," Harpel said. "It was a team effort, and pulling out the strong win through the fourth quarter gave us some room to enjoy it and celebrate the little things."

Ridge is scheduled to return home Thursday, April 30, to host Voorhees at 5 p.m. after improving to 7-2 with Saturday's win in Allendale.

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