LOWER MERION >> The Archbishop Carroll girls’ lacrosse team will be trying to capture its fourth consecutive PIAA 2A state title Saturday, thanks to a 4-1 win against District 1 champion Bishop Shanahan Tuesday at Lower Merion High School.
But it didn’t come easy at all for the Patriots, thanks to a tough Eagles’ defense.
The first half was a defensive battle on both sides, ending in a 1-1 tie. Midway through the third quarter, Shanahan received a yellow card, putting the Eagles a man down, and Carroll exploded for a trio of goals in a 74-second stretch.
“Shanahan has an outstanding defense,” said Carroll head coach Lorraine Beers. “They had a great game plan and scheme, and really good players.
“I think we played well as a (defense). I think Mei (Rader) in goal was awesome. Kate O’Neill, Jayanna (Ramsey-Williams), Maggie O’Neill, it’s a real good crowd down there and everybody played well. And our middies, you’ve got Sienna Golden, Chloe (Bleckley), Ava Talago, there’s a lot of good girls down there working it up.”
With the victory, Carroll (20-2) advances to the PIAA 2A state championship game, where they will play District 3 champion Twin Valley Saturday at Penn State at 10 a.m. Twin Valley defeated Villa Maria Academy, 10-9, Tuesday, in its PIAA 2A state semifinal.
For Bishop Shanahan, this was the Eagles’ third consecutive appearance in the PIAA 2A state semifinals.
“This was a defensive battle for all four quarters,” said Shanahan head coach Kacy Small. “We just held one of the best teams in the nation to four goals, and they scored three of them when we were carded and a man down. Our defense played amazing, they had a really tough assignment here.”
After a scoreless first quarter, Carroll broke the scoring ice with an 8-meter shot by senior Samantha Hewitt with 6:28 to go before halftime. It turned out to be Hewitt’s 100th career goal, but she didn’t know it at the time, and the team did not celebrate the milestone until after the game.
“Coming into this game, I was excited and a little bit nervous, I knew there were expectations (with the state titles),” said Hewitt. “I think (the key) to our defense is pushing each other at practice, keeping each other accountable.”
Late in the second quarter, Shanahan goalie Izzy Sawicki made a trio of fine saves within a 2 ½ minute span to keep the score at 1-0. Sawicki finished the game with six saves.
Then, with 34.8 seconds left before halftime, the Eagles’ Emma McGlothlin took a pass from Gillian Greco and fired it into the net to tie the score at 1-1.
Hewitt said, “At halftime, we knew we needed to come out and play our game. In the first half, we were playing kind of timid, we weren’t being as aggressive and as confident. Once we realized it’s there and we have to take a risk, it started to pay off.”
With 7:21 left in the third quarter, Kate O’Neill scored to give the Patriots a 2-1 lead.
O’Neill said, “In the first half, we were playing really great team defense. I think we played (defense) with high pressure, and played as a team, really worked together. As we continued (early in the second half) we just knew we had to put the ball in the back of the net to win the game.”
O’Neill was a sometime starter for the Patriots last year during their state championship run and she was asked what it felt like to come into this game knowing a win was needed for the opportunity to capture a fourth straight state title.
“I think it’s just trying to stay true to the legacy, to continue the legacy,” responded O’Neill. “Carroll lacrosse has been very good for a long time, and being part of such a great team allows you to have that (good) support.”
Just 35 seconds after O’Neill’s goal, Carroll senior Brooke Hippert scored off an assist from Kallee Clark. Earlier this season, Hippert was sidelined for several weeks with an ailing hamstring.
Then, after the Patriots won the ensuing draw control, Carroll freshman Morgan Wood scored on an 8-meter shot with 6:07 left in the third quarter to give her team a 4-1 lead.
For the game, Bleckley won four draw controls for Carroll.
Small mentioned how proud he was of the Eagles’ resilience this season.
“Our team was counted out a long time ago, when we lost five out of six games in the middle of the season,” said Small. “I don’t think anyone counted on us to make a district run. This was our hardest district championship – we’ve won it three out of the last four years, but this was the hardest one, we needed two huge comeback wins to get there. Villa Maria was our toughest competition out of all the district championships, and I think the biggest characteristic of this team is just non-stop fight.
“Our team had a choice to make halfway through the year, and they decided to fight through it, get a district championship, and then play the three-time state champions, an unbelievable program, here. This is our closest one (try for a state title) and it was 1-1 at the half against a nationally-ranked powerhouse like that, I just think (is extraordinary).”
For Shanahan, Stella D’Ambro forced three caused turnovers, and Greco collected two.
“Stella, Gillian, Carly Cunningham, the whole team played amazing,” said Small. “With Izzy Sawicki, we usually switch goalies at halftime, but Izzy was doing really well in the first half, so we stuck with her. Izzy played amazing. I just think, offensively, we’ve just got to get (the goals). A couple of more (scoring) opportunities and it would be a little bit different outcome.”
Archbishop Carroll 4, Bishop Shanahan 1
Archbishop Carroll 0 1 3 0 — 4
Bishop Shanahan 0 1 0 0 — 1
Archbishop Carroll goals: Morgan Wood, Sam Hewitt, Kate O’Neill, Brooke Hippert.
Bishop Shanahan goal: Emma McGlothlin.
Goalie saves: Mei Rader (AC) 4, Izzy Sawicki (BS) 6.
