PIAA Class 3A Girls Lacrosse: Raucci’s 3OT game-winner sends Garnet Valley to semis despite epic Owen J. Roberts comeback
ROSEMONT >> It was a game that left both sides deservedly teary-eyed.
One could argue neither Garnet Valley nor Owen J. Roberts deserved to feel the sting of a season-ending loss. At the end of a three-overtime contest in the PIAA Class 3A quarterfinals, however, one side cried tears of joy while the other felt a crushing blow.
Garnet Valley’s Mia Raucci made sure her squad was the one celebrating through their waterworks.
Raucci scored with seven seconds left in the third overtime off an assist from Maddie Shoemaker to give the Jaguars a 10-9 win and advance them to Tuesday’s state semifinal against Conestoga.
“I knew from the beginning we had the ‘W’ but it felt amazing,” Raucci said. “After three overtimes, they’re (OJR) a great team. I’m just so proud of our team.”
FINAL: Garnet Valley 10, Owen J. Roberts 9. … Mia Raucci scores the game-winner with seconds left in 3OT. pic.twitter.com/Uew36t821V
— Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue) June 4, 2022
Garnet Valley wound the clock for one shot in the extra period, but it never came as the Wildcats’ defense swarmed on the final play attempt. OJR goalie Korrigan Sweeney made a phenomenal stop at the end of the second OT to keep the Wildcats’ hopes alive.
With time winding down in the final overtime period, Garnet Valley coach Jenny Dooley called ‘Cash.’ Raucci made her cut and received a pass from Maddie Shoemaker before taking about two steps and firing in the top right corner for the game-winner.
“We’re really good with our cuts I think, and Maddie Shoemaker, she’s a great feeder,” Raucci said. “She just hit me and it was there.”
“I couldn’t even believe it,” Garnet Valley’s Sophie Kingsborough said. “It felt like a shock. I just wanted to hug her as hard as I could. It was an amazing feeling.”
At the 12:43 mark of Saturday’s state quarterfinal, three extra periods and a game-winning goal seemed unlikely. The Jaguars led 9-5 after a goal by Mia Zebley.
Owen J. Roberts had a rally fall just short in a 6-5 district quarterfinal loss to the Jaguars on May 21. This time the Wildcats battled all the way back.
Colby Wasson cut the lead to 9-6 with 8:44 left after Alexa Vogelman caused a turnover.
Ava Clemson pulled OJR within two, 9-7, less than two minutes later. Blakely Doyle scored another with 6:53 to go to make it a 9-8 game and the pressure was on.
The Wildcats saw a shot go off the post and three or four other chances end in turnovers before Clemson completed the comeback by scoring with 50 seconds left in regulation.
The Jaguars won the ensuing draw control, but Gabbi Koury forced a turnover to send the game into overtime.
“That’s who they are,” OJR coach David Schlesinger said of the comeback. “It’s who they are as athletes, as people. They’re incredibly tough-minded, talented, wonderful kids.”
Clutch save by Korrigan Sweeney with less than 20 seconds left in 2OT keeps this tied. pic.twitter.com/uMs2gs5BZF
— Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue) June 4, 2022
Ava Clemson ties it with 50 seconds left! 9-9 pic.twitter.com/vHQAQzdM2W
— Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue) June 4, 2022
The ending wasn’t what they wanted but a gritty all-around effort from the Wildcats was plenty enough to make their coach proud.
“I tell them that I understand the hurt that they feel, the disappointment that they feel,” Schlesinger said. “I tell them that I love being their coach and how proud I am of them.”
Kingsborough’s three first-half goals helped Garnet Valley to a 5-3 halftime lead after the Jags ended the half with three unanswered. The lead went from two to three and back to two multiple times in the second half before Lex Garrity and Zebley scored consecutive goals to put GV up four.
Raucci and Kaitlyn Stankavage both scored twice and Garrity, Zebley and Ava Kane added goals for the Jaguars. Mak Butler had four saves in goal.
It was the second straight win over the Wildcats after falling 7-3 to OJR in the regular-season finale.
“We knew that it’s hard to beat the same team twice,” Kingsborough said. “The first time, we didn’t play our best but we made those adjustments. We did scouting earlier in the week, so the rest of the week we could just work on our defense, work on our attack and just finding what works in the third game is really what helped us.”
Gabbi Koury had a hat trick and Clemson scored twice, while Vogelman, Doyle, Wasson and Gracyn Smith had goals for OJR. Sweeney was clutch in goal with five stops.
The Wildcats say goodbye to a senior class of Smith, Quinn Defibaugh and Lexi Muir that won two Pioneer Athletic Conference titles and made three District 1 and PIAA quarterfinal trips during their tenures.
“Their leadership, their talent has been exceptional,” Schlesinger said. “The reason we have success as a program is because of people like Gracy and Lexi and Quinn.”
Garnet Valley will face another familiar foe in Tuesday’s semifinal in Central League rival Conestoga.
The Jaguars lost 11-9 in an April 21 meeting but hope they can avenge the regular-season defeat just like they did twice against the Wildcats.
“I’m just so glad that we can move on and go to the state final four,” Raucci said.
