Girls' Lacrosse Completes Perfect Season with T of C Title Win

The girls' lacrosse team (No. 1) held out against a late surge from No. 2 seed Chatham to win the Tournament of Champions title at Kean University Saturday. With the win, Moorestown posted a perfect 26-0 season.

FINAL

It was a game of mirror images. Two traditionally successful, offensively potent teams were playing for the Tournament of Champions title. And it was unbeaten Moorestown that showed their skills, posting a 12-4 lead into the the middle of the second half. With the opening and two additional goals from Carly Taglienti, a hat trick for Steph Toy and a pair of goals each for Lindsay Goldblatt and Nikki McMonogle, Moorestown looked like they were going to cruise to the win.

But Chatham, never giving up, took the last 12 minutes to put the game back within their reach. In a 10-minute span, Barbara Marriott, Mary Kate O'Neil, Lauren Mairano and Kelsey Perselay would each post a goal. But it was scoring machine Jaclyn Leto that tallied three goals in four minutes to put the Cougars just one goal back at 12-11.

With a last-second ground ball that gave Chatham a chance to score, the ball in Kelsey Perselay's basket, it looked like it could be overtime. But it was not to be, and time ran out, sealing Chatham's fate.

Moorestown reclaimed the Tournament of Champions title, after and dropping out of the tournament early in 2010. 

This is the Quakers' 18th Tournament of Champions title since the tournament started in 1976. 

The girls beat Shawnee 19-8 to win the South Jersey Group 3 Championship last month. 

Coach's take

"I am going to remember the senior class most importantly. A phenomenal group of girls who led this team back to this moment. And I credit everything this season to them. In the end, we reached our ultimate goal. I am so proud of this team and the seniors that led us here. Chatham is a phenomenal program, obviously. The way they fought back, they never gave up. Up to the last seconds of the game, it could have gone either way. I am just really happy we pulled it out." — Moorestown coach Deanna Knobloch

Players' reaction 

"Awesome. We came out on fire and it was ours from the beginning. It got a little scary towards the end. We got a little sloppy on turnovers and they capitalized on them. But we got the win. It was an awesome game." — Carly Taglienti

"I thought we had it. You're not supposed to say that or think that in the middle of a game, but I said 'We got this.' They started coming back and we panicked a little bit. We started freaking out. They are a good team. But we held it there and we got it." — Megan Kelly

"This is the best feeling in the world: undefeated season; getting back to the T of C after losing for two years; going on my senior year. A great team, a great group of coaches, and a great season. I love this team and I couldn't ask for anything more." — Steph Toy 

For full results and stats from all the Moorestown girls' lacrosse games this season, visit their website moorestownglax.com.