After winning their regional championship last week, Meridian’s girls’ lacrosse team advanced to the state playoffs as they hosted visiting Lightridge in a Friday night semifinal matchup, their final home game of the year. It only took 16 seconds before the Mustangs found the back of the net as Tessa Papadopolous scored on their first possession, and then Lila Deering added another first minute tally to make it 2-0. Deering scored again five minutes later before Lightridge got a pair of goals back, but that would be the last time they’d score until late in the half, by which point it was 11-2 in favor of the home team. Meridian went into the break ahead 12-3, and then a natural hat trick by Caroline Carmody erased all doubt as the Mustangs would go on to win 19-6 in the end.

            Deering and Tilly Gale each scored five goals to lead the way, while Carmody and Ally Campbell had three apiece. The Mustangs will now go on the road to play Dominion next Tuesday night, in a game where they will be the heavy underdogs. But crazier things have happened, and if the girls pull off the upset, they’ll be headed to the State Finals. Go Mustangs!