Towson High School senior Sarah Clemmens (left) takes a draw against Annapolis' Alex Van Horn during the General's 15-6 victory in the Class 3A-2A state semifinals Saturday.
She praised her entire team for its balanced scoring but
Towson High School girls lacrosse coach Dee Dee Franke had to specially point out the recent emergence of senior midfielder Sarah Clemmens.
Clemmens scored a team-high five goals and the Generals' stingy midfield defense sparked a 15-6 victory for Towson over host
Annapolis in the Class 3A-2A state semifinals Saturday.
The Generals (14-4), out of Baltimore County, will meet Winters Mill (16-2) -- a
11-10 winner over
Centennial -- in the state championship Wednesday at 4 p.m. at UMBC.
"(Sarah) is unbelievable," Franke said. "This is her third year on varsity and she's played with some great players so she was kind of the shadow girl. In the last couple of weeks, she has stepped up as a leader and has become a player with confidence out there."
After Towson jumped ahead early and took a 9-1 advantage into halftime, Clemmens scored two her team's first three goals of the second half. She got a pass from junior attacker Tara Glazer (three goals, two assists) and finished in front of the cage to open an 11-1 lead with 21:52 left.
The score capped one of many prolonged possessions for the Generals.
"We wanted to slow it down because we had a lot of time run," said Clemmens, whose team scooped 26 ground balls compared to nine from Annapolis. "We did a good job of just passing it around and working for the right shots."
Second-chance opportunities were abundant for Towson because of its strong defense in the midfield. If a pass went astray or Annapolis senior goalkeeper Brintany Pastrana (three saves) blocked a shot, the Generals' attack immediately became defenders and caused many turnovers on the Annapolis side of the field.
"We're really good about doubling in the midfield," said Franke, whose team has not given up double-digit scoring in the last four games -- all in the postseason.
"It's expected that if you’re on attack and you lose a ball, you become a defender. That actually does help and it's been one of our strengths this year."
Senior attacker Cathy Bachur finished with two goals and two assists for Towson while junior attacker Tara Feeney added two goals and an assist. Feeney, the team's second-leading scorer during the regular season, went down with a left ankle injury after scoring the first goal of the second half. Franke said that the injury is not serious and that Feeney will be back before Wednesday's title game.
It was Towson's first win over an Anne Arundel County team in three tries this season. In a preseason tournament, the Generals fell to South River (13-10) and eventual state finalist Severna Park (14-4).
After a trying first half, the Panthers (12-5-1) were more fluid in the second. Senior attacker Maddie McKaig led the way with three goals and an assist while sophomore midfielder Ali Brandenberg, sophomore attacker Jody Cumberpatch and senior attacker Liz Melesh each notched second-half goals.
"We're regional champions and that's what I told the girls," said Annapolis coach Dave Gehrdes, whose team made its first state tournament appearance since 2002.
"We beat a couple teams that a lot of people didn't think we could beat. Our improvement from the beginning of the season to now has been 100 percent. For us, this season has been a tremendous success. I think the girls showed some pride coming out and playing the way they did in that second half."
Sophomore attacker Caroline Krohn had a goal and two assists for Towson and sophomore midfielder Annie Farrell added three assists. Junior goalkeeper Grace Bojanowski finished with five saves.
Towson (14-4) 9 6 - 15
Annapolis (12-5-1) 1 5 - 6
GOALS: T - Clemmens 5, Glazer 3, Bachur 2, Feeney 2, Farrell, Krohn, Chesser; AN - McKaig 3, Brandenberg, Cumberpatch, Melesh. ASSISTS: T - Farrell 3, Bachur 2, Glazer, Feeney, Krohn, McGovern; AN - McKaig, Strumph. SAVES: T - Bojanowski 5; AN - Pastrana 3. GROUND BALLS: T - 26; AN - 9. DRAW CONTROLS: T - 12; AN - 9.