Senior Spotlight: Colorado commit Moore was hoping to lead Upper Dublin to top of SOL American

Mack Moore scored more than 100 goals in her Upper Dublin girls lacrosse career but found a bit more joy sharing the wealth when it came to putting the ball in the back of the net.

“I feel better when I assist and see my teammates score than scoring myself,” she said. “I think I feel more accomplished and I just love watching my teammates succeed too.”

A three-time SOL American Conference all-league selection and University of Colorado commit, Moore was set on sharing another season of goals, assists, wins and memories with her Cardinals teammates in 2020.

But COVID-19 derailed those plans as spring sports were halted in March and eventually cancelled in April, leaving Moore and her four fellow UD seniors with their high school careers ending much sooner than planned.

“Lacrosse season is definitely the one thing I look forward to all year,” Moore said. “I’m always counting down the days until we start playing so it was really devastating for me not to have my senior season.  It’s like Senior Night and everything was something I’ve looked forward to for the past few years.

“It was really hard but we were able to do some team bonding things and just do the best we could with it. And every senior in the country is in the same position.”

The Cardinals stayed connected as a team, holding a virtual banquet along with a drive-by Senior Night. But missing a chance to compete on the field was disappointing for Moore, who felt UD was a contender for the SOL American title.

“It was really hard at first mentally to get back outside and make myself, like force myself to run and work out,” Moore said. “But I think I realized this is what I have to do, I have to prepare for college.”

In 2019, Upper Dublin finished 13-7 overall, winning nine of its final 12 after a 4-4 start and advanced to the second round of the District 1-3A tournament.

“We were really excited for this year,” Moore said. “We were looking to win the conference, which we hadn’t won since 2013 so that was something we all wanted to experience and get our revenge on some teams.”

In her career at Upper Dublin, Moore finished with 132 goals, 84 assists and 82 draw controls as the Cardinals posted double-digit wins and reached the District 1 playoffs in each of her three years.

As a freshman in 2017, Moore earned All-SOL American honorable mention after posting 25 goals, 23 assists and two draw controls – four goals and five assists coming in an 18-12 win over Plymouth Whitemarsh – as UD went 13-5 and placed second in the conference.

Moore proceeded to make the 2018 SOL American second team following a sophomore campaign in which she had 44 goals, 40 assists and 34 draw control for a 12-6 Cardinal side. During UD’s March trip to Texas that season, Moore had seven goals and two assists in a 14-13 win over Highland Park then posted seven goals and three assists the next day in a 17-7 victory against Vandegrift.

“I kind of knew my place as a freshman and I was kind of nervous to take more control of the field,” Moore said. “But as I became more of a leader on the field I think it was easier for me to score and to help my teammates score and be more of a playmaker.”

In her junior season, Moore struck for 63 goals, handed out 21 assists and also had 46 draw controls in earning All-SOL American first team honors.

Moore led the Cardinals to their first win of 2019, striking for nine goals while adding two assists as UD topped Hatboro-Horsham 17-8. Three games later, Moore accounted for 12 of Upper Dublin’s goals – scoring seven times and posting five assists in a 19-18 victory over Boyertown.

The next day, Moore recorded her 100^th career goal on the second of the two goals she scored in the 15-10 win over Springfield-Montco.

“I honestly think the biggest thing that I’ve improved in is my mentality,” Moore said. “My confidence, I think, has gotten a lot better since freshman year and that’s allowed me to become a better lacrosse player.”

Moore put together a six-goal, two-assist performance in a 16-10 win over Wissahickon then a day later provided four goals and an assist as the Cardinals beat Plymouth Whitemarsh 17-10 for their fifth consecutive victory.

In the District 1-3A playoffs, Moore collected two goals and an assist as the Cardinals avenged their regular-season loss to Souderton by beating the Indians 13-8 in the first round. The victory was the first for UD in districts since 2013.

“Coach (Dee) Cross was always teaching me to be a better person and a good leader so I think that’s helped me a lot,” Moore said. “And that’s transitioned on the field too.”

 For Moore, her path in lacrosse began with her literally finding it.

“When I was probably like 10, I found an old lacrosse stick in my garage and I was just fooling around in my backyard,” she said. “And then I signed up for like the township program and I loved it.”

Moore started to focus on the sport in middle school and now after a standout career at Upper Dublin is set to play at the NCAA Division I level at Colorado, which plays in the Pac-12 Conference.

“I just loved it from the second I stepped onto campus,” Moore said. “I loved the coaches and the team, they were very welcoming and it’s a competitive program so it’s really exciting for me. I can’t wait.”

Moore also considered Virginia Tech, Bucknell and Rutgers but the opportunity to attend a big school along with campus’ Boulder location had Moore choosing CU.

“I just love the atmosphere,” Moore said. “Everything there is so relaxed and chilled-out and that’s kind of like how my personality is. So I love the views, I love going on adventures – hiking, stuff like that, skiing.”

Colorado qualified for the last three NCAA tournaments (2017-2019) and in both 2018 and 2019 advanced to the second round. The Buffaloes were 3-2 in 2020 before their season was cancelled due to COVID-19.

“The coaches are just really approachable and I think it’s important to kind of have a good relationship with your coaches and be able to come to them for anything,” Moore said. “And when I was in my recruiting process I definitely found coaches that I liked more than others in that way and the Colorado coaches made me feel so comfortable and confident and I just knew it was the right fit for me coaching-wise.”