CUMBERLAND — Fifth-seeded York did a good job of maintaining possession and controlling the tempo to knock off No. 4 Greely 7-6 in a Western Class B girls’ lacrosse quarterfinal Wednesday night.

The Wildcats won 11 out of 14 draws to advance to play top-seeded Kennebunk in a regional semifinal Saturday.

“Possession is huge in girls’ lacrosse,” Greely Coach Becca Koelker said. “If you don’t have possession, you can’t win the game, and the draws were giving us a really hard time.”

The midfield draws, which come at the start of each half and after each goal, were a point of emphasis for York Coach Jodie Lawlor.

“The draws to control were definitely big,” she said. “We didn’t do well in the first game we played these guys. We knew that was going to be key, and it was today.”

On May 7, the Rangers pulled out a 10-9 win in overtime over the Wildcats in Cumberland.

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Wednesday’s game was just as competitive. The score was tied or the lead changed hands nine times until Amanda Lillie put in a rebound 5:16 into the third quarter to send York into a 6-4 lead, its largest of the game.

“We never really got that momentum today,” Koelker said. “(York) did a great job of putting pressure on us in the midfield.”

Amanda Rohrer and Kara Kelly each scored two goals for the Wildcats (8-5). Courtney Cole and Taylor Simpson scored a goal. Kayla Kelly had an assist.

Jocelyn Mitiguy and Cameron Keefe each scored two goals for the Rangers (6-7). Gabby Bouchard and Meghan O’Donovan each scored a goal. Maura Kaminow and Eliza McKenney each had an assist.

While clinging to a 6-5 lead, and with eight minutes left in the game, York went to a delay game in an effort to keep the Rangers from rallying.

“We were really just looking to take some time off the clock because we know how fast, athletic and aggressive (Greely is), so we were just trying to catch our breath,” Lawlor said.

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The Wildcats ran more than three minutes off the clock and Rohrer turned a feed from Kayla Kelly into a goal with less than five minutes left to play to make it 7-5.

Mitiguy scored with 58.7 seconds left to pull the Rangers back to within a goal.

“We got some unlucky breaks today, and we didn’t finish when we needed to,” Koelker said. “I was really proud of my players, and the way they played to the end.

“They really didn’t give up until the last second.”


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