Lacrosse team misses chance at first sectional title
by Rudy Brandl, Sports Editor
BRIDGEWATER The Hillsborough High girls’ lacrosse team had the right game plan and executed it well for most of last week’s North Group 4 championship game against Bridgewater-Raritan. Unfortunately for the Raiders, they weren’t able to sustain it for the final 10 minutes of regulation and in overtime.
Hillsborough (18-5) wasted five three-goal leads and never trailed until the overtime session, when B-R scored the first two goals and held on for a thrilling 14-13 triumph. The Raiders played great and had the Panthers on the ropes for most of the game, but the home team rallied on their own turf and ended Hillsborough’s season in heartbreaking fashion.
”It’s definitely hard to lose like this in our last game in high school,” HHS senior attack Lindsey Watts said afterward. “We work hard as a team and we lose as a team.”
The Raiders did a good job on draws and executed well in the offensive zone in the first half and early part of the second. Looking to avenge two straight losses to the Panthers after beating them in April, the HHS girls appeared to be on their way. The Raiders owned a 12-9 lead with under 10 minutes to play, but the Panthers scored three times in a span of 3:13 to force overtime.
”There were a couple of mistakes with the ball and possession,” HHS head coach Beth Murrin said. “Our composure fell apart as a team.”
B-R enjoyed the upper hand in ground balls and benefited from some favorable officiating. The referees called 28 fouls against Hillsborough, but only seven against the Panthers.
”The calls didn’t feel like they were going our way in the last six minutes,” Murrin said. “That just added to the helter skelter.”
The Panthers, who won the county final mostly because of their hustle to pick up the loose balls, were quicker to the ground balls again in the sectional final. This allowed B-R to control possession and keep the Raiders from attacking late in the game.
”It was more of a possession thing,” Murrin said. “They’re very quick to the ground. They were getting the loose balls.”
The Raiders only had one possession in overtime and it came off the opening draw. The team’s 15th turnover of the day ended that possession and they never had the ball again until the final seconds. Alyssa Dragon scored the first of her two overtime goals with 52 seconds left in the first three-minute extra frame for a 13-12 lead. The Panthers controlled the draw after the goal and got possession again to start the second overtime.
B-R went into stall mode, looking to run out the three minutes in the second overtime, until Dragon sprinted through an opening in the middle and made it 14-12 with 23 seconds remaining. By the time HHS junior Kelsey Palmer scored with time ticking away, it was too late for the Raiders.
The Raiders came out flying and determined to even the season score at 2-2 between these great rivals, who always play nail-biting games. They had never met in a state tournament game and the Raiders were looking for their first sectional title. For most of the day, it looked like the HHS girls were going to make history.
Watts was on fire early, scoring five goals in the first half to lead Hillsborough to an 8-5 lead. Dorian Gilmartin-Dzitko connected on a free position for a 1-0 lead with 22:35 to play in the first half. Watts and Tina Marino followed as the Raiders scored the first three goals of the day.
”We finally put it all together in the first half and early part of the second,” Watts said. “I don’t know what happened in the second half.”
B-R managed to catch up at 5-5 late in the first half but Hillsborough fired in three goals in the final 2:30 to restore the three-goal margin. Watts scored on a free position to make it 6-5 and sprinted from midfield on a fast break for a 7-5 lead with 19 seconds remaining. Gilmartin-Dzitko capped the first half with a spectacular low shot into the cage with one second remaining, giving the visitors all the momentum heading into halftime.
Hillsborough staved off B-R charges throughout the second half. Sara DiClemente scored twice to answer Panther tallies early in the second stanza. She caught a feed from Gilmartin-Dzitko and fired it home for a 9-7 lead and converted a free position with a bouncing blast for an 11-8 cushion with 14:28 to play.
Katie DeLuca fired one home to make it 12-9 with 11:20 remaining in regulation, but the Raiders didn’t score again until desperation time in overtime. Watts was held scoreless after the first half.
”It was more of a possession problem,” Watts said. “We just couldn’t keep the ball.”
”They (Bridgewater) did not make any adjustments (to stop Watts),” HHS assistant coach Laurie Stagnitta added. “She attacked the cage in the first half and in the second half, we didn’t have the ball long enough. We didn’t get her the ball.”
The Raiders were about to consider a ball control game with a one-goal lead in the final five minutes, but a costly turnover on a long pass gave possession back to the Panthers. They capitalized by tying the score for the second time in the game on a goal by Anna Tichy with 5:01 to play.
Hillsborough sophomore goalkeeper Chelsea Williamson played a spectacular game with 13 saves, including several key stops on free positions from B-R’s top players. Williamson stuffed Kelly Fenton on a free position with three minutes to go. The Panthers came up with the loose ball but Sam Schwalje eventually checked Carlee Dragon to gain control of a ball. On the attack looking for the game-winner, the Raiders lost possession when the ball rolled off Gilmartin-Dzitko’s stick near the cage.
The Panthers nearly ended it before regulation time ended when Carlee Dragon, who scored five goals to lead the Panthers, fired one home. The officials had a long discussion and weren’t sure if the shot went in before time expired, so they waved it off and let the game be decided in overtime.
”We changed our defensive approach today and it worked,” Murrin said. “The girls worked hard and for the most part, they executed what we wanted them to do. They just beat us to the 50-50 balls.”
Although the defeat was a bitter disappointment, the HHS girls left Basilone Field with their heads up.
”Even though we lost, we have to look at the upside of everything,” Watts said. “We had a great season.”