Dream Season Continues: Fox Lane Girls Lax Headed to State Semis

After winning the sectional championship for the first time, the Fox Lane girls lacrosse team has now taken the next step — it won its first game in the state tournament.

Lindsay Toppe scored with 28 seconds left to give Fox Lane a 13-12 win over the Section 2 champion Niskayuna Silver Warriors Saturday night in Albany. 

The Foxes advance to the state semifinals at SUNY Cortland, where they will face Section 3 champion Watertown on Friday at noon.

The clinching goal came after Toppe and Lauren DiChiara double-teamed a Niskayuna player and forced a turnover. The Foxes called timeout, and Toppe (seven goals) and Sammy Jo Tracy (four goals) set up behind the cage.

"We set up a play for Sammy and Lindsay and then just let them go," Fox Lane Head Coach Bill Broggy said.

Toppe rolled around from the back of the goal and bounced the ball past Niskayuna goalie Katie Tiscione. Both Tiscione and Fox Lane goalie Jenn Pollock made seven saves.

Besides scoring, Tracy was also instrumental on draws. The Silver Warriors had a 5-foot-10 center who had been winning about 80 percent of their draws, but Tracy won the majority Saturday night. 

While Toppe and Tracy are widely acclaimed as two of the top players in Section 1, another key was the play of freshmen midfielders Kate Burbank and Kailey O'Hagan.

"They're really game-changers," Broggy said. "Their athleticism as midfielders, their speed, how they transition from defense to offense. They may not be scoring all the goals but they're setting them up."

The Foxes also benefited from the leadership of junior Aly Dowey. Niskayuna was coming back from a 12-9 deficit late in the game when Dowey brought the team together during a timeout.

"She did all the talking, 'We can do this, we can win this,'" Broggy said. "It was such a great, optimistic view of things. The kids were a little nervous, they were really doubting themselves, but she exuded such confidence it really brought the team back."

Sydney Stern recorded five assists for the Foxes (18-3), who never trailed in the game.

"We did set high goals for the season," Broggy said. "We thought we could contend for a sectional championship, get to that final game. But winning exceeded our goal, so now everything else is not what we expected, but we're certainly enjoying it."