Mount St. Joseph’s Devon McGarvey scores 100th career goal in win over St. Basil
SPRINGFIELD >> Scoring 100 varsity goals during a four-year career is an impressive accomplishment for any high school lacrosse player. Reaching that milestone is even more impressive when it’s done in less than two seasons.
Mount St. Joseph senior Devon McGarvey did just that. After not scoring any goals in a limited varsity role as a freshman and losing her junior season to the COVID-19 pandemic, McGarvey scored her 100th career goal in the Magic’s 17-4 win over St. Basil Academy Thursday at Mount St. Joseph Academy High School.
“It’s really exciting,” McGarvey said. “It showcases all the hard work that I’ve put in for the last four years.
“I’ve put a lot of work and effort into the game. It was challenging not having a junior year, but I just had to work a little harder to get to (100 goals).”
She reached the century mark on the first possession of the game and did it in familiar fashion. She held the ball behind the goalie, a position she’s comfortable in, while surveying teammates in front of the goal. She kept the ball, went around the left side of the net, cut inside and let her shot go. She celebrated with teammates while family and friends cheered and the ball was tossed to the sideline for safe-keeping.
“I do a lot of feeding and rolling the crease for the most part,” McGarvey said of her offensive role. “Here and there I’m up top in different places, but I’d say for the most part I stay back there (behind the net) pretty often.”
She finished the game with four goals – bringing her career total to 103 – and three assists. All four of her tallies came in the first half, when the Magic built a 14-4 lead.
“We’re so proud of her that she scored over 100 today,” Mount coach Dipi Bhaya said. “Even more so, the teammates that supported Devon so that she was able to do that – that just shows you the quality of this team and the heart of this team that it wasn’t all about one player. It’s about a team. Her 100th goal is an amazing effort for Devon, but I think she’ll admit that her teammates also helped her with that too. I’m very proud of Devon. I’m in awe when I watch her play. I’m proud to be her coach. She’s so talented. She has an amazing family, very supportive and I’m just lucky I got to be her high school coach for two years.”
Bhaya went on to explain what makes McGarvey such a special player.
“Her toughness, her relentlessness, her drive and the fact that she’s willing to be coached as well,” Bhaya said. “She’s coachable. She’s got grit about her. She has a toughness about her. People push her and push her and she just remains calm. She never loses her cool.”
McGarvey’s path to 100 goals started in 2019. As a sophomore, she scored 78 goals in her first season playing under Bhaya.
“We got a new coach and I put in a lot of extra work over that year and I think I really improved my game,” McGarvey, who is attending Penn State in the fall to study chemical engineering, said.
With her 100-goal milestone in the rearview mirror, McGarvey’s only focus is on the team’s success. The Magic improved to 5-2 after Thursday’s win and are in position to get a high seed in the District 1-2A playoffs.
“I want to help my team win as many games as possible,” she said, “and just be here for a good time.”
Mount St. Joseph 17, St. Basil 4
St. Basil 4 0 – 4
Mount St. Joseph 14 3 – 0
Goals: SB: Maddie Stampone, Alex Mahoney, Colleen Mullin 2. MSJ: Devon McGarvey 4, Devin Loome 2, Devon Diehl, Ava Rossi, Lauren Maher 4, Campbell Donavan, Kate Donavan 2, Maggie Woolley, Tatum Donahue.
