Concord 9 – Marblehead 6

The Concord-Carlisle girl’s lacrosse team began April vacation with a 9-6 win over the Marblehead Magicians. Although Marblehead pinged a shot off the post to open the game, it remained scoreless for seven minutes as CC kept their patience and Hannah Dudley scored after receiving a great feed from Johanna O’Neil. CC brought a renewed sense of movement on offense, constantly cutting in front of the Marblehead net, and grit and tenacity on defense, forcing Marblehead to work extra hard through midfield pressure just to get the ball upfield.

Much of the game was back and forth, and the action low to the ground, aggressively scooping ground balls and pressuring along the sidelines, causing turnovers that soon led to goals. Sophie Shipe pressured a sideline play that led to CC’s second goal by Dudley. The back-and-forth play continued until the fourteen-minute mark, when the Magicians had the ball at the CC end, but could not conjure a way through the Patriots’ defense. After some near forced turnovers, Brianna Stout came up with the ball, fed it to Dudley, who sent it to Payton Vaughn to take up the field, where Kylee Bowen circled the net and gave it to O’Neil for a quickstick goal.

Marblehead did not give up, cutting the CC lead to 4-3 at the half. Abby Flynn made a save on a free position shot to keep the lead with a minute left in the half, which ended with CC sophomore Kat O’Connor holding possession of the ball after Dudley knocked down a Magician pass to end their chance to tie it up. CC’s fourth goal came on a free position shot by Dudley after drawing a foul driving to the net.

The battle continued in the second half, opened by Briana Stout drawing a foul off the draw to keep the ball for CC. Stout powered her way to hard fought results, battling for two draw controls, four ground balls and three caused turnovers. Cassidy Hale and Annie Wilson were tenacious at redefending. CC scored first by a quick-footed Bowen with an assist from Shipe. A big save made by junior Amelia Slade, by stepping to the ball on a Marblehead drive to the net, followed by another save, aided by some good stick checks by the CC defense, kept CC in the lead. The Magicians managed to tie the game eight minutes into the second half with a bounced free position shot. A minute later Bowen prestidigitated with her own bounced free position shot to retake the lead permanently. She cemented it with another one from a free position shot after being fouled by the goalie.

After a time out with ten minutes left, CC worked the ball around the Marblehead net until Molly Dibble scored CC’s eighth goal with a hard five-hole shot. The final goal was scored by Dudley on a play that left the right side of the arc open for her to attack.

Written by Teresa Leahy.
Photos by Andy Dudley and Dave Andonian.