Region dominance lands first ever Final Four home game
Junior Mary Ellis Goins takes a shot on goal and scores. Goins contributed three goals and one assist to the Lady Panthers’ win over the Holy Innocents Episcopal Bears in the first round of the state playoffs. The Panthers play tonight at 5:30 p.m. against Blessed Trinity in the semifinals.
May 11, 2016
The Lady Panthers have accomplished what no other girls’ lacrosse team at the Mill has done. They have scored themselves a home game going into the final four in the state playoffs.
After finishing their season as the No. 1 seed from Area 1 and a tough win over Creekview on Saturday, they will play another No. 1 seed, Blessed Trinity, from Area 3 in the state semifinals on May 11 at home.
Freshman Ansley Wallace surveys the field from behind the cage looking for an open teammate. Wallace put up five goals with three assists in the Starr’s Mill win over the Holy Innocents Episcopal Bears.
Since both teams were No. 1 seeds, the league had a coin toss to decide who would get the home game. The Panthers won the toss and will be hosting their third straight home playoff game.
“I’m really excited that we won the coin toss and get a home game for the final four,” senior captain Alyssa Sack said. “It will be good to be at home and have the crowd behind us.”
In order to get to where they are, the Lady Panthers had to win against the Holy Innocents Episcopal Bears and Creekview Grizzlies. The first game against the Bears was dominated by the Panthers with a final score of 16-3.
The Panthers were led by freshman Ansley Wallace, who scored five goals and had three assists. Sack also played well, adding four goals and three assists.
The next game was a rematch against Creekview, who previously beat the Lady Panthers 13-11 on April 15 at Creekview.
The Panthers found themselves down at the half 7-4 during the May 7 game, but after proving to be a second-half team throughout the year, the Lady Panthers mounted a comeback, scoring eight goals and holding Creekview to two.
“We knew we could win, we just couldn’t get too far behind, and we had to fight all 50 minutes,” assistant coach Kris Beardsley said.
The 12-9 win in the quarterfinals against the Grizzlies sets the Lady Panthers up for tonight’s semifinal game against Blessed Trinity. The game begins at 5:30 p.m. in Panther Stadium.
