It works during basketball season. Why not during lacrosse?
One of the area’s top basketball post players in Western Albemarle’s Bridget Shaffrey knew that if she took the ball aggressively to the goal against a Patrick Henry girls lacrosse team that hadn’t seen the tall, quick Western midfielder this season that she could draw some fouls.
She drew a bunch of them.
“We took a much more careful, analytical approach instead of going with what we had done,” Shaffrey said. “With my play I thought about how I can help the team and not just how can I score.”
Shaffrey finished off a number of the ensuing free-position shots, pouring in five goals on the day for the Warriors. In turn, the rest of the offense, with Peyton Brandt pulling the trigger, got going as Western earned a state tournament berth with a 12-6 victory over Patrick Henry in Roanoke Friday.
Shaffrey scored four first half goals and forced Patrick Henry to double team or enable a quick slide to a Shaffrey drive late in the first half and into the second. That’s when Brandt got going, as the savvy attackman dished out two assists and registered a hat trick of her own. One of the goals came on a slick roll back to the cage where Brandt found herself wide open as the Patrick Henry defender flailed from behind as Brandt scored.
Brandt plays the quarterback role for the Western offense and has become a major threat for the Warriors’ attack.
“I can assist and then I can roll the crease,” Brandt said. “(Playing that spot) is definitely one of my favorite things.”
A stifling defensive effort early on by the Warriors forced Patrick Henry to try and come from behind in the late stages of the game. That’s when goalie Maya Langman stepped up. Langman turned away several Patrick Henry shots in the closing minutes and finished with 10 saves on 18 total shots by the Patriots who did a nice job of getting the ball on the cage.
“I think it was really just the adrenaline, everyone was feeding off each other,” Langman said. “All you’re watching is that ball going back and forth.”
Western added to its midfield rotation to keep its transition game clicking on a hot day in Roanoke. Langman orchestrated nine clears on the day with the help of solid midfield passing. Becca Moriconi played a big role in transition and also hauled in four draw controls. Katie Lesemann, Ellie Allen, Linda Hexter and Moriconi had a goal each.
Western will take on Albemarle in the West Central Section title game Monday at 7 p.m. The winner earns a home game in the state quarterfinals while the loser will travel to the Northwest Region champion’s home field.
