The Washington Lee High School girls varsity lacrosse team upset the Yorktown Patriots last night at home, 20-19, besting their cross-county rivals for the first time in seven years.
The Generals (5-4) built a commanding lead deep into the first half, going up 13-6, behind the skill and goal-scoring of junior Meghan Fox. Fox had five of her game high eight goals in the first half, with senior Colleen Salazar adding three.
The Patriots (7-2), however, were able to cut the lead to three, 13-10, going into halftime.
W-L added four goals in the first five minutes of play of the second half. The two teams then traded goals, but Yorktown was able to mount a strong comeback, tallying seven unanswered goals, tying the game at 18. After the teams traded goals again, and with under two minutes to go, W-L sophomore Emma Vogel scored what would be the winning goal.
Generals freshman Caroline Laybourn won the next draw control — women’s lacrosse version of a faceoff — giving W-L possession as time was running out. However, the Patriots caused a turnover with under 30 seconds remaining, bringing the ball down to their offensive zone, but Salazar was able to pick up a ground ball and hold possession as the game ended.
The Generals’ superior defensive play held Yorktown’s Metro region standout sophomore Laura Crawford to just three goals. W-L also dominated the draw control, taking 28 of 39 in the circle.
In addition to scoring by W-L’s Fox (8), Salazar (3) and Vogel (4), other goal scorers included Laybourn (1), senior Julia Fyffe (3) and sophomore Brooke Tannehill (1). Senior Kristen Somers led the Patriots scoring with 6 goals. Other Yorktown goals came from junior Kate Grattan (4), junior Emma Thurman (2), freshman Claire Kuwana (2) and senior Margaret Doyle (1).
Photo courtesy Celia Slater