Digging out of a hole in a state semifinal game is no easy task, and even with an early second half surge, Western Albemarle’s girls lacrosse team couldn’t quite get back into its clash with Loudoun Valley Tuesday night in the Group 3A semifinals.
Instead, the Vikings held on for a 16-7 victory and a spot in the state final after building a 13-2 lead at halftime.
“We decided we were going to come out strong and never allow a deficit to affect us,” said Loudoun Valley coach Tracey Albro. “Everyone just meshed really well together.”
Western reeled off a 3-0 run out of the gate in the second half, highlighted by a little hidden ball trick action that led to a Reilly Funk goal. But Loudoun Valley put the clamps on that spurt and traded goals with the Warriors down the stretch as time ran out on Western’s season.
“I’m so proud of this team given the youth that’s on this team,” said Western coach Tara Hohenshelt. “So many kids this season made adjustments to get to this point. They have every reason to be proud of how far we’ve come and how far we got.”
Corley Simons and Marguerite Keane were key figures in the Vikings’ early run that put Western in a 7-1 hole. Each scored a pair of goals in that opening stretch. Simons finished with five goals and five draw controls for Loudoun Valley to spearhead the Vikings’ effort and Keane had a hat trick. Three other Loudoun Valley players came up with two goals each.
“At this point in the season it’s really hard to keep girls focused because graduation is right around the corner and you’ve got all kinds of things going with these seniors,” Albro said. “I think they were stronger in that department today.”
Ellie Allen posted a hat trick for the Warriors while Bella Moriconi had two goals and three draw controls. Western was without the services of Olivia Rentz and Sammie Magaragee, two of their top offensive producers. Rentz was sorely missed on the draw against Loudoun Valley’s array of tall players that created matchup problems for Western.
“You can’t coach height so you try to make adjustments here or there and take advantage of everything that comes your way,” Hohenshelt said. “.”
Western’s season ends with the loss to the Vikings, finishing at 14-5 as the South Zone and Charlottesville Group champions.
