Jane Randall had a solid game in goal with 10 saves, as well as doing a good job on ground balls, steals and clears.
Laura Simanski had another big game with five goals in the comeback 15-14 win over Severn.
by Mike Buchanan
mbuchanan@digitalsports.com
No defensive struggle here. Like two heavyweights exchanging punches for fifteen rounds, Roland Park Country School and Severn School’s girls’ lacrosse teams exchanged goals for two halves and two overtimes, until something had to give.
In the end, it was a freshman who delivered the final volley. Roland Park’s Mattie Meredith scoring the winning goal on a scoop shot off the ground just before time ran out, giving the Reds a 15-14 win.
Both teams entered the game with identical 4-2 records in the IAAM A Conference lacrosse race. Roland Park (6-2 overall, 5-2 league) inched up with the win, and stands in a tie for third with Notre Dame Prep. Severn (6-4, 4-3) dropped down and is log-jammed with St. Mary’s and Archbishop Spalding a game behind.
Severn started off very strong. Coach Irene Sotiropoulos has a core of talented players and the Admiral offense is starting to click, having put up 14, 13 and 14 goals in the past three outings.
“They were very aggressive with their checks and defense, and caused a lot of turnovers in the opening half,” said Roland Park coach Erin Millon. “They also passed the ball very well in transition for goals.”
The host Admirals raced out to an 8-2 lead before RPCS started its comeback. The Reds chipped away, scoring the last three goals of the half to pull to within 8-5 at the break. Laura Simanski fired in two of her game-high five goals and Lucy Scholz got the other score for RPCS.
The Reds continued their rally, coming out strong to start the second half by scoring the first two goals. The Roland Park scoring seemed to improve when the players stopped shooting high and started shooting low bounce shots, noted one observer.
After the teams traded scores, Severn added two quick goals to make it an 11-8 lead. However, RPCS weathered the mini run, and put up a three-goal run of its own to tie the score with about two minutes left in regulation. Both teams then had opportunities to score, but failed to capitalize.
The biggest opportunity was in the waning moments, but Severn missed a free position shot with one second left. Roland Park goalie Jane Randall, who made several tough plays in the second half coming out of the crease to grab ground balls and make steals, helped to keep the Admirals off the scoreboard. The teams went to OT tied at 11-11.
In overtime, Severn changed its strategy and assigned a player to face-guard Simanski all over the field, even when she took her defender 20 to 30 yards from the goal and just stood there. The senior attacker has been one of the top scorers in the league, averaging four to five goals per game, and was already at the five-goal mark for the day.
The teams both scored two goals in the first overtime. Halle Gary and Riley Schamburg stepped up and scored for RPCS while Simanski was being blanketed. Each team scored once in the second period, as Scholz scored the second of her two goals on the day.
The final sudden-death period was played with tremendous intensity by both teams. With the score tied at 14-14 and the clock ticking away, neither team appeared ready to budge.
It was Meredith who came up with the huge play, the game-breaker, giving the Reds the win in a wild game with a crazy finish.
Of the 29 goals scored, Meredith’s was obviously the biggest. She was one of six Reds with one goal, supporting Simanski with five and Scholz and freshman Caroline Seats with two apiece.
Seniors accounted for all of the Severn scoring with Josie Owen leading the way four goals and two assists. Alex Priddy scored three and Caroline Crow and Chelsea O’Neill added two each. Randall and Severn’s Hannah Hook each had 10 saves in goal.
Severn has a non-league game on Wednesday versus Good Counsel, and then travels to St. Paul’s School on Friday. Roland Park faces a tough stretch of three league games in a busy week, all on the road. The Reds visit Bryn Mawr on Monday, Maryvale Prep on Wednesday and John Carroll on Friday.
With Simanski leading the league in scoring, or close to it, others will have to step up for Roland Park. The Reds showed they can do that, as nine different players scored against Severn.
This time, it was Meredith who stepped up and got the final say.
Roland Park 15, Severn 14, OT
Goals: RP – Simanski 5, Seats 2, Scholz 2, Gray, Bacon, Schamburg, Formwalt, Parchman, Meredith; S – Owen 4, Priddy 3, Crow 2, O’Neill 2, Steinburg 2, D’Ambrogi. Assists: RP – n/a; S – Owen 2, Crow, Carroll. Saves: RP – Randall 10; S – Hook 10.
Half: S, 8-5.