By Angela Watts
Managing Content Editor, DigitalSports.com

** Look below the story to find two separate video players filled with highlights and post-game interviews from both of Thursday's Virginia AAA state semifinal girls' lacrosse games.

Neither Oakton Coach Jean Counts and Chantilly Coach Michele Gates enjoyed even a second of their time spent on the sideline's Thursday night at Westfield in their respective Virginia AAA state semifinal games.

One of them, however, will undoubtedly have a much different feeling come Saturday night.

That's because despite two hard-fought, stressful and -- in their words -- gray-hair inducing games, both of the Northern Region representatives advanced to Saturday's Virginia AAA state title game, which will be held at 5 p.m. at tournament host Westfield.

Oakton, the two-time defending state champions, advanced with a come-from-behind, 12-10 victory over Loudoun Valley in the first of Thursday's semifinal double-header. The Cougars, who are the only team in Virginia High School League history to take home the state crown since the lacrosse championship was established in 2006, did not take their first lead of the game until just 5 minutes, 41 seconds remained in the second half on a pre-positioned goal by senior standout midfielder Ashley Kimener.

Kimener then added the game's final goal at the buzzer after the Cougars had successfully run more than four minutes off the game clock.

"I might just quit right now," teased Counts, whose team trailed the Vikings by as much as 5-1 in the first half and 9-6 in the second. "I told the girls they can't do this to me! I did not enjoy this at all. Not for one second."

Chantilly never trailed by as big as a deficit as their rivals, but still had to rally -- and employ similar stall tactics -- to hold on to an 11-9 victory over Albemarle in the second semifinal game. The Chargers, who were led by six goals by junior midfielder Brittany Griel, are making their first appearance in the state finale.

"I actually asked the refs, 'When do the butterflies go away?' " Gates said, smiling. "I can enjoy it a little bit now, but we still have work to do. We have a big game on Saturday and we've been working hard all year, so it's one more practice, one more chance to work through some bugs. It's overwhelming to know we're going to be facing Oakton, the defending state champs. So we're going to have to really be focused."

The Cougars were sparked by senior defense Kayla Hoefer, who took over the draw duties from Kimener midway through the first half and promptly not only won possession on the draw, but went the distance and fired a shot past Viking tough goalkeeper Trish Hicks to pull Oakton within 6-4 with 1:40 to play in the opening half. The Cougars got two more quick goals by junior attack Blair Keffer, who led all scorers with five goals, in the game's final 1 minutes, 16 seconds to knot the score at 6 headed into half time.

"Unfortunately, the last time we played in a close game against Chantilly our teammates just kind of let Ashley [Kimener] run it," Counts said, referring to Kimener's nine goals in Oakton's victory over Chantilly in the Northern Region championship game. "But she wasn't at 100 percent today ... and it took us 24 minutes and 31 seconds -- I counted in the book -- in order for everyone to start pitching in. So it wasn't necessarily about adjustment, it was about people contributing. It's 12-on-12, not 1-on-12. And we just needed to have everybody else doing their part and that finally clicked in."

Added Hoefer: "Ashley has carried us all year. She's an amazing player, no doubt. But what was awesome about this game was that it was a total team effort. Every single person stepped up, from the sophomores on the field all the way up to the seniors ... and I just can't say how happy I am about that."

Chantilly similarly trailed Albemarle, 4-3, with 11:32 left in the first half before the Chargers took over. Senior midfielder Sara Garrison knotted the score at 4 with 7:32 to play, and then Keffer registered back-to-back goals in a span of just :39 seconds to give Chantilly a 6-5 lead that it would not relinquish the remainder of the game.

"I think we came out kind of flustered," Chargers' junior midfielder Kaitlyn Stillwell said. "But once we cooled down we came out there and started settling it down and playing our game. We got more passes and worked well together down the stretch.

"Now we just have to focus on Oakton. They're a great team and I'm really excited to get to play against them in the championship. But, I mean, we've never been there so I'm even happier for that!"

Oakton and Chantilly split its three previous meetings this season, with the Chargers winning in the regular-season and the Concorde District tournament and the Cougars coming away victorious in the Northern Region finale.

Email: awatts@digitalsports.com

GAME 1
Loudoun Valley  6  4  --  10
Oakton              6  6  --  12
1st Half Goals: Klemens, LV, 21:37; Swann, LV, 19:32; Keffer, OK, 17:13; J. Harkey, LV, 16:51; Swann, LV, 8:40; Klemens, LV, 7:27; Filipponi, OK, 4:28; Zakrewski, LV, 3:19; Kimener, OK, 1:54; Hoefer, OK, 1:40; Keffer, OK, 1:16; Keffer, OK, :05. 2nd Half Goals: J. Harkey, LV, 23:15; S. Harkey, LV 18:21; S. Harkey, LV, 14:20; Keffer, OK, 12:25; Mathieu, OK, 11:17; Swann, LV, 8:08; Keffer, OK, 6:51; Alexander, OK, 6:29; Kimener, OK, 5:41; Kimener, OK, :00.

GAME 2
Albemarle         6  3   --   9
Chantilly           9  2  --  11
1st Half Goals: Griel, CH, 21:41; Moss, AL, 21:16; Griel, CH, 20:22; Dunwoody, CH, 15:33; Tubridy, AL, 12:50; Tubridy, AL, 11:47; Moss, AL, 11:32; Garrison, OK, 7:32; Tubridy, AL, 6:26; Griel, CH, 5:48; Griel, CH, 5:09; Moss, AL, 2:32; Griel, CH, 1:51; Stillwell, CH, 1:00; Stillwell, CH, :00. 2nd Half Goals: Elliott, AL, 16:06; Moss, AL, 14:40; Griel, CH, 9:53; Dennis, CH, 1:03; Tubridy, AL, :51.