by Jeffrey Wojtala – Special to the News-Press
George Mason High School’s girls varsity lacrosse team defended their home field in a 19-9 defeat of Loudoun Valley High School on Thursday, April 21.
Coach Courtney Gibbons shook up her starting lineup against the Vikings, but still had her stalwart regulars ready to go. The Loudoun Valley team was also an athletic group made up of tall girls who could sprint the length of the field if allowed.
Mason began the scoring 2:20 into the first half with a goal by junior Lydia Gorman assisted by sophomore Meredith Johnson but the Vikings responded 27 seconds later to tie the game at 1-1.
Both teams were playing a patient ball control game looking for a weakness in the opposing defense to exploit for a goal.
Mason scored the next four goals, one by Johnson assisted by junior Hannah Hiscott, one by junior Sarah Lubnow, one by sophomore Amy Roche and the last by sophomore Claire Hiscott before the Vikings could muster another goal past sophomore goaltender Annette Schlitt.
The score was now 5-2 George Mason, but the Mustangs kept their foot on the gas pedal and scored another three goals which included an own goal by the Vikings’ goalie who could not handle a powerful side arm shot from Roche. The Vikings again responded with a goal at the 3:38 minute mark of the half.
The Mason and Loudoun Valley girls then traded two goals apiece to close out the half. It should be noted that the last four Mason goals scored in the half were all by Hannah Hiscott, who was assisted by Roche, Claire Hiscott and Gorman. At halftime, the score stood 10-5 in Mason’s favor.
The second half began with the Mustangs winning the draw and Lubnow scoring at 1:15 into the half. Once again the Vikings responded at the 19:40 mark of the half, but after that it was all Mason with seven goals until the 4:07 mark of the final half.
The Mustang goals were scored by Hannah Hiscott, Roche, who scored two, Johnson, assisted by Roche, freshman Harmony Lajeunesse, Gorman and Lubnow. Coach Gibbons took advantage of the 12-goal lead her team amassed and played her remaining reserves to let her starters rest.
With the reserves in the game, the Vikings managed three more goals, and Roche scored the last Mason goal, her fourth, to finish the game. The Mustangs lost their most recent match, 12-10, to Woodgrove High School, bringing their record to 6-4.
In their most recent match against Woodgrove High School, the Mustangs were not intimidated by their opponents, who won the state championship last year. Woodgrove, which is made up of predominately junior and seniors with four sophomores filling in the positions, took the early lead 3-0 before Hannah Hiscott took a pass from her sister Claire Hiscott and buried it in the back of the Wolverines’ net.
Woodgrove responded a minute later to bring the lead back to three but the Mason girls took control of the field, first with a goal by Lubnow assisted by Hannah Hiscott, then with a goal from Roche assisted by Lubnow. Gorman scored on a free position at the 9:16 mark of the first half, then Claire Hiscott scored her second goal assisted by Gorman. Then Roche scored her first of the night assisted by Sarah Lubnow. The Wolverines put one more behind Schlitt before the end of the half, but at the horn George Mason was holding the lead 6-5 and quieted the home crowd.
The second half started with Woodgrove gaining position after the draw and scored two quick goals to once again take the lead 7-6. Lubnow scored her second of the night tying the score with an assist from Claire Hiscott and the Mustangs took the lead again with Roche’s second goal assisted by Hannah Hiscott and Claire Hiscott’s third of the night unassisted. The Mustang defense was also playing well in front of Schlitt.
Anna Dubro, Bridgett Rorrer, Caroline Duffett and Rae Mondragon were acting as a wall on Mason’s defense, keeping the Wolverine players to the outside and away from the shooting lanes. Johnson also had a take away in the offensive zone to keep the Woodgrove players on their heels. Woodgrove, though, was not giving up and put three goals of their own, one while playing a man-up, to once again take the lead at 10-9, until Roche scored her third of the night to tie the tally at ten.
The Mustang girls were playing well, but although they had possession numerous times in the Wolverines end the remaining seven minutes of the game, they could not take the lead again this night and the Wolverines finished the night with two more goals, one again with a Mason girl off for a penalty to take the lead and the win. The Mustangs take on Park View High School on Thursday, April 28 at home.
