PIAA girls lacrosse tournament: Mars beat Trinity, advance to Class 2A quarterfinals
ADAMS TWP — A pause, a pole, and plenty of productive passes.
Mars used such to preserve its lead in an 11-9 PIAA Class 2A opening-round girls lacrosse playoff win over Trinity (Camp Hill) at home on Tuesday.
After conceding the initial goal to Shamrocks junior Sienna Chirieleison, a Syracuse commit, the Planets (15-6) moved ahead with Mya Cote’s two scores over the 2:11 that followed. In the first quarter’s final 2:35, Anna McGrath netted a tally and assisted on two others, then Hailey Long’s second marker of the day provided a 6-1 advantage 3:52 into the next.
“We did a good job coming out strong just like we planned to do,” McGrath said. “It was really crucial. We were working well together assisting and setting each other up, which was great.”
The latter of three Trinity (16-7) goals in a span of two minutes prompted Mars coach Abby Latona to burn a timeout.
“I think we needed to re-collect and kind of get the momentum back,” Latona said of the stoppage, which followed a strong solo effort by Chirieleison. “We were just making silly little turnovers and we needed to take control back of the game. ... I told them to push the gas, represent, and this is the time where you dig.”
Cote buried a free position attempt 2:13 after that and McKenna Merritt deposited a goal of her own with 51 ticks left in the half. That stretched the Planets’ lead to four before Trinity’s Lexi Goshorn shortened it some 11 seconds before the midway point.
“It helped us re-gain our composure and kind of turn our eyes back towards the goal,” McGrath said of the timeout. “We had to get the ball back and push it up the field like we were doing in the beginning.”
Laine Hollister and Carlyn Clouser struck 23 seconds apart early in the third frame. Not long after, a Planets penalty set up Chirieleison at the eight-meter arc. Her try bounced off the crossbar, allowing Mars goalkeeper Ella Roach to breathe a sigh of relief.
“I think that was huge,” Latona said. “Ella had a phenomenal game. She saved a lot of shots today that should’ve maybe went in. Our goal was to widen the gap and every time that we get the ball back, I think we have a little bit more of an opportunity because we know we can finish it.”
Before the quarter was through, scores by Kennedy Kolson and Long — both assisted by McGrath — sandwiched Chirieleison’s fourth and final marker.
“They were getting some draws and getting some turnovers,” McGrath said. “They had possession more in the second half, but those assists that I had and that my teammates had definitely helped us to put some in the back of the net.”
McGrath finished with a goal and five assists, the last of which helped Merritt stake their Planets to an 11-8 edge before the Shamrocks’ Maya Erby answered it 4:16 later.
Cote and Long paced Mars with three goals apiece. Merritt recorded two, while Tess McGrath and Kolson had a score and assist each. Roach had 11 saves.
The Planets will convene with District 1 runner-up Villa Maria Academy, a 14-12 winner over Southern Lehigh, on Saturday at a time and location to be decided.
