It took a little while for Western Albemarle’s girls lacrosse team to get into gear, but the Warriors found their stride in the second half against Rockbridge Friday night and turned a four-goal advantage at the break into a 14-3 rout after halftime.
Western, in unusual fashion for the Warriors, took six minutes to get a goal and Rockbridge kept battling after that. Western managed to build a 6-2 halftime lead largely on the strength of seven draw controls by Ellen Shaffrey that created scoring chance after scoring chance for the Warriors.
Shaffrey brought the same edge to the draw in the second half, grabbing another seven draws in the second to help spark Western to five goals in the first five minutes of play after halftime.
Shaffrey poured in give goals to go with her 14 draw controls and six ground balls. Anna Liebowitz and Peyton Brandt both had hat tricks for the Warriors and Liebowitz dished out three assists too. Brandt scooped up seven ground balls. Mady Baker had two assists and six groundballs while Bridgett Shaffrey, Janie Day Whitworth and Stewart Summers all checked in with a goal each.
Christine Fortner had had six saves in the cage for Western.
Virginia Paulk, Megan Hough and Taylor Riccardi scored a goal each for Rockbridge while goalie Emily Coleman tallied seven stops.
Western will travel to Charlottesville HS on Tuesday, March 29th and is 3-0 in the district.
