Burnetta’s hat trick lifts Agnes Irwin over EA

RADNOR >> Friday was a cold and damp day, but Agnes Irwin senior Kristin Burnetta didn’t seem to mind.

“It was a super special day,” Burnetta said. “Today was my last day of classes at Agnes Irwin School.”

Burnetta and her classmates will spend the remainder of the school year in senior seminars before they are awarded their diplomas. Burnetta and her lacrosse teammates will spend the next month putting the finishing touches on what they hope will turn out to be an unforgettable season.

Agnes Irwin rode a three-goal effort from Burnetta to a 7-6 overtime victory over Episcopal Academy in an Inter-Ac League rematch Friday afternoon. EA (15-3, 6-1 Inter-Ac) had claimed an 11-10 decision from the Owls (11-4, 5-1) when the teams met earlier in the spring.

“Beating Episcopal in our last home game against them makes this very memorable,” the Harvard-bound Burnetta said. “We were down at halftime, but I wasn’t worried. I had so much faith in my teammates.”

Episcopal Academy scored the first three goals and worked coach Josie Ferri’s game plan to perfection, limiting Agnes Irwin’s scoring chances and getting superb play in goal from Sydney Gagnon (nine saves in the first 25 minutes) in building a 5-2 halftime advantage. Taylor Lucey also scored twice in the first half for EA.

The host Owls came back with the first three goals of the second half while holding EA, which chose to patiently work time off the clock while looking for a good shot, scoreless for more than 18 minutes.

“We had to make defensive adjustments at halftime,” Agnes Irwin head coach Jenny Duckenfield said. “And we knew that we could score quickly.”

Burnetta tied the score with a little more than 10 minutes to play, then five minutes later Katie Crager finished a play started by Corinne Zanolli, who got a pair of first-half goals, to put Episcopal Academy back on top.

EA earned the OT draw control, but Maria Pansini came up with a takeaway for Agnes Irwin. Burnetta got another tying goal 1:50 before the second half ended.

The Owls controlled the overtime draw, and Gagnon turned away a good scoring attempt by Lila Barker, who made the play that set up Burnetta’s winning score.

“Lila was going to goal and I was working my way down for support,” Burnetta said. “Then I got the ball and it was just me and the goalie. I was so happy to see the ball go in.

“We knew the intensity would be high in this game. (Coach Duckenfield) and I have talked about things like that, and she’s told me there will be more to come.”

Barker, a junior who has committed to the University of Virginia, recalled Episcopal Academy’s visit to Agnes Irwin in 2015.

“We lost that game,” Barker said. “So this was a game about second chances. Since we lost to them (this season) we’ve been working to get this game back.

“When it got to overtime, my focus was on just how important the draw would be.”

Before long, Barker and her teammates hope they will be focusing on another rematch with EA, which could come in the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) tournament.

Also in the Inter-Ac:

Notre Dame 14, Germantown Academy 10 >> Caroline Allen notched a hat trick to go with an assist, and Julia Dambly and Kelly Coyle each paired two goals with a helper for the Irish.

Makenzie Irvine and Maggie O’Brien tallied two markers each for Notre Dame.

In the Central League:

Springfield 8, Radnor 7 >> Cailyn Gormley and Bridget Whitaker each posted hat tricks as the Cougars (12-1, 7-1) surged ahead with two quick-strike goals in the second half in a back-and-forth game.

Julianne Clemens made nine saves for the Cougars.

Katie Quinn recorded a hat trick, and Abby Lord added two goals for Radnor. Alexa Solomon made seven saves.

In the Del Val League:

Interboro 16, Penn Wood 2 >> Marissa Hews scored four goals and an assist, and Ava Redding and Gab Mendez tallied twice each for the Bucs.

Steph McCool dished three assists to go with a goal for Interboro.

Nikeisha Grant and Hervelange Auguste scored for the Patriots, while Ashley Cadet made 22 saves.

In nonleague action:

Marple Newtown 18, Chichester 6 >> Kristin Rutecki and Julia Lynch scored four times each, and Katie Nunan added a hat trick for the Tigers.

Maura Murray led Chi with three goals.