YARMOUTH – The Brunswick girls’ lacrosse team celebrated in the rain Saturday morning like it was the state championships already.
For good reason.
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The Dragons, last year’s Class A champions, pulled out a 14-13 victory in their first-ever crossover game against North Yarmouth Academy, the 2009 Class B runner-up.
The lead changed hands seven times. Brunswick was forced to rally from a three-goal deficit and twice from two-goal deficits in an even, leave-it-all-out-there feud of lacrosse powers.
The teams had only previously met in scrimmages.
“That was really fun for us,” said Brunswick Coach Beth Caputi. “It’s not often we go head to head for 50 minutes like that.”
The Dragons (5-0) trailed 11-8 with 18:33 remaining.
Jacki Kelly scored unassisted 13 seconds later. Leila Mills scored off a free possession at 17:39, then tied it on another free possession with 16:55 to go.
Molly Strabley of NYA (4-2) struck 45 seconds later to make it 12-11, but Mills scored again off a free possession to tie it at 12.
Maggie Caputi, after taking a feed at the top of the circle, turned and fired to give the Dragons a 13-12 lead.
Mills then built a two-goal lead for the Dragons with a third score on a free possession with 4:45 to go.
Courtney Dumont of NYA capped her seven-goal game by scoring on a wraparound shot with 2:18 to play to make it 14-13.
The Dragons held possession down the stretch, however, and got some pivotal saves in goal to preserve the victory.
“We know we can be a comeback team now,” said Maggie Caputi.
“They’re a really talented team, and we’ve never had to come back after trailing by three goals.”
NYA built its first two-goal lead with a stick-side score by Dumont with 6:08 to play in the first half, then went up by three a minute later.
Brunswick came back with goals by Eliza Halmo and Anna Holmblad before Dumont scored at the halftime buzzer to keep it a two-goal lead at 8-6.
“That could have been anybody’s game,” said NYA Coach Julia Sterling. “It was very exciting to see us play so well against the Class A state champs.”
Dumont and Lilly Wellenbach — who had three goals and two assists — managed to score a combined 10 goals despite each being face-guarded heavily.
“That was a good strategy by them. Our other girls had to open up,” said Sterling.
“They’re learning how to play that way.”
Sterling said her team will deal with the loss, knowing the level of competition will help them down the stretch.
“We’ve gotten the top crossover game. But we play better and it’s only going to help,” she said.
Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at:
jmenendez@pressherald.com
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