Episcopal forces GA to share lax crown

GA’s Colleen Magarity pumped in four goals for the Patriots in last Saturday’s match (Photo by Lene White)

by TOM UTESCHER

Germantown Academy broke out to a 4-0 lead over visiting Episcopal in last Saturday’s lacrosse showdown, but before long the Churchwomen battled back and the contest turned into a good old-fashioned knock-down drag-out GA-EA game.

Episcopal caught up at 7-all four minutes into the second half, and later the game was tied at 8-8, 10-10, and finally 11-11 with just over a minute to go. After Episcopal captured the next draw, each team turned the ball over once, leaving the Churchmen in possession and allowing sophomore Britt Steidle to win it for the visitors, 12-11, on a free-position shot with 16 seconds remaining. Two sophomores, Germantown’s Colleen Magarity and EA’s Callye Komlo, led their respective squads with four goals apiece.

Coming into the game, GA’s Patriots were assured of at least a share of the 2005 Girls Inter-Ac championship. Although a postseason tournament was begun last year, the championship still goes to the team with the best win/loss record in regular-season league games, and GA had won the first six of its seven Inter-Ac contests.

A loss to Agnes Irwin last Tuesday had dropped Episcopal to 5-1, but with Saturday’s victory the Churchmen earned a tie for the title with Germantown, as both teams finished 6-1. Penn Charter captured the league championship back in 1998, but since then no other schools besides Episcopal and GA have won it. Germantown was the sole champion in 2004.

The Churchwomen came into last Saturday’s game missing Abby Pyeritz, a regular starter at attack wing who’d suffered a concussion during Episcopal’s 15-9 victory over Mount St. Joseph Academy two days earlier. The visitors found themselves down 2-0 four minutes into the game, thanks to GA’s Jenna Washabaugh (three goals) and Heather Rittenhouse (two goals). Magarity battled in from the left wing to fire the first of her four goals, then she assisted on a point-blank shot by Sarah Warner to make it 4-0 with 14:11 to go in the opening half.

Even though the Patriots had already seized a piece of the championship, GA coach Ginny Hofmann noted, “They didn’t want to share the title. They were 6-1 last year and they wanted to be 7-0 this year. We came out like gangbusters – we played great – but [Episcopal] just never gave up.”

GA had many more scoring opportunities in the early going, but EA senior Ali Hillyard held up well in the goalcage, and would finish with 14 saves.

“Ali has done a wonderful job,” Episcopal coach Kim Piersoll said. “She’s really anchored the defense nicely all year.”

Hillyard made a number of genuinely tough stops, but other times Germantown made it easy for her, aiming into the middle of the cage to hit the keeper’s stick on high attempts, or her leg pads on low shots.

The Churchwomen gradually regrouped. Looping out from behind the GA cage, Komlo got them on the board less than half-a-minute after GA’s fourth goal, and they went on to close the gap to two goals (7-5) by halftime.

On a pair of free position shots from the left side of the arc, Komlo and Kelly Robinson pulled Episcopal even at 7-all with 4:03 elapsed in the second period. A Magarity free-po put the Pats back on top briefly, then the visitors took the lead for the first time, sinking three straight to assume a 10-8 advantage with a little over ten minutes remaining.

GA was not playing one of its better possession games, committing turnovers with careless passes. The Pats didn’t protect the ball well in the crosses, and by marking closely up and down the field, the Churchwomen were ready with a check when the Patriots hung out their sticks.

“It was a matter of playing good defense and maintaining possession,” remarked EA’s Piersoll. “We got into our groove as far as moving the ball, hitting our passes down the field, and we capitalized on our opportunities.”

GA was far from finished, and countered the Episcopal surge with a three-goal run of its own. Strikes by Washabaugh, Magarity, and Rittenhouse moved the hosts ahead, 11-10, with 4:50 on the clock.

Germantown goalie Kyra Dwinell (nine saves) stopped shots by Episcopal’s Logan Greer and Lizzie Waples, but later Jane Gartland ran through the left side of the arc and scored Episcopal’s 11th goal with 1:09 remaining. Ashley Aruffo pocketed the draw for the Churchwomen, who quickly turned the ball over, but then got it back when a Germantown pass sailed way over the head of intended receiver Heather Sherlock. EA’s Steidle was fouled while driving into the arc on the right side, and she made good on the resulting free position shot with 19 seconds left in the game.

Washabaugh seized the final draw and GA passed the ball down the field, but the Pats had it checked away just inside the eight-meter arc with six seconds left. Episcopal moved the ball out past the restraining line on the left side as time expired. Germantown was left with an overall record of 12-3, while the Churchwomen were 10-3 on the season.

“We had our chances,” summed up GA’s Hofmann. “It could’ve gone either way.”