SOUTH RIVER GIRLS LAX PULLS AWAY FROM ARUNDEL

by Aaron Gray
agray@digitalsports.com

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A sluggish start for the South River High School girls lacrosse team may have hindered its eventual win at Annapolis earlier in the week, so the Seahawks made sure to come out strong.

The only problem was that a pesky Arundel squad wouldn't go away and trailed by only two goals at halftime.

Enter junior attacker Devin Dorsey.

Dorsey scored four of her team-high five goals after the break to lead the Seahawks to a 17-11 victory over the visiting Wildcats in a Anne Arundel County game on Friday.

South River improved to 11-1 overall, 8-1 in the county and its chances of a county championship appearance are still alive. Broadneck (9-2, 8-1), which beat the Seahawks earlier in the season, currently is in the No. 2 spot but if the Seahawks can upset top-ranked Severna Park (12-0, 9-0) in the regular-season finale this Friday, it would create a three-way tie.

South River coach Julie Norton didn't mention the Falcons by name but it was obvious what was one her mind.

"This was definitely a step ahead of the Annapolis game," said Seahawks coach Julie Norton, whose team opened a 9-7 lead at halftime. "We got a tough one next week so it's time to prepare for that one."

The Wildcats (8-4, 6-3) didn't register a single shot before it found itself behind, 4-0. Sophomore defender Natalie Glanell, sophomore midfielder Mary Milligan and senior midfielder Ali Mattingly (two goals, three assists) each scored off free-position shots to start the game.

"I knew that was a big hole to climb out of, especially against South River," Arundel coach Leann Shuck-Gibbs said. "But we came back and we were always right there with them."

Sophomore midfielder Shannon Carta notched her first of two goals in the game for the Seahawks before Arundel junior midfielder Jamie Brentlinger went to work. Brentlinger finished with a five goals and that was before she left the game with a right ankle injury midway through the second half.

"That was a huge loss for us," Shuck-Gibbs said. "(Brentlinger) was doing a great job on the draws for us. Kiersten (Jauschnegg) is also a big part of our offense and she didn't play the second half, either."

With 8:45 left in the first half, a goal from senior Alyssa Fowler (three goals, two assists) was called back because of a illegal follow through. Had it stood, the Wildcats would have cut South River's lead to 7-6. Instead, sophomore attacker Brooke Griffin countered one minute later to open three-goal advantage for the Seahawks.

Each team would score once more before the intermission.

"In the second half, we decided it was time to start playing," said Dorsey, who notched three consecutive goals inside the final eight minutes of the game.

"We didn't force it and a lot of people got opportunities -- I got a lot of opportunities. We were really playing well together and everyone got involved."

Said Norton: "(Dorsey's) job is to finish and today, that's exactly what she did. We had a meeting recently and we told her that she needs to demand the ball more at the end and you have to put it in the cage."

Griffin finished with four goals and an assist while junior attacker Kelly Stephensen added a goal and four assists -- all in the second half.

The South River defense also held steady after the break behind junior goalkeeper Kim Kolarik, who notched seven saves.

Fowler scored two of her three goals before halftime and she also finished with two assists to aid the Wildcats' attack. Jauschnegg finished with two scores before her exit and senior attacker Randall Winter tallied back-to-back assists for Arundel.

Arundel (8-4)                    7    4   -    11
South River (11-1)            9    8   -    17
GOALS: AR - Brentlinger 5, Fowler 3, Jauschnegg 2, Ross; SR - Dorsey 5, Griffin 4, Mattingly 2, Carta 2, Stephenson, Demo, N. Glanell, Milligan. ASSISTS: AR - Fowler 2, Winter 2; SR - Stephenson 4, Mattingly 3, Petersen, Milligan, Griffin, A. Glanell. SAVES: AR - Riely 5; SR - Kolarik 7.