When the Memorial Day girls’ lacrosse game started Monday, visiting McAuley High was at a serious disadvantage with just one substitute to take on Deering.
Deering rolled to a five-goal halftime lead, but in the end it was the Rams who ended both short-handed and on the wrong side of a 13-12 score.
“It was definitely an intense game, competitive down to the wire, and I’m really proud of my players and the way they responded in the second half,” McAuley Coach Jackie Dubois said. “I know they’re tired and we’ve been battling some injuries this season.”
McAuley outscored Deering 8-2 in the second half. Deering was called for six two-minute penalties, played the final 12:19 one player down due to an accumulation of penalties, and also lost starting defenders Shannon Matthews (knee) and Maddy Reid to game-ending injuries in the second half. Reid was hit in the head by a McAuley shot.
“It is hard, yellow card after yellow card and losing the bodies on the field,” Deering Coach Aimee Burgos said. “There’s only so much you can do when you’re two men down at a point in the game.”
Allison Tardif scored the winner with 1:18 to play. Tardif scored three of McAuley’s final four goals after spending the first half playing goalie for the first time.
“Our coach wanted to see if I was good at goalie because our regular goalie (Sophie Borie) is going to miss a couple of games,” Tardif said.
“I was very, very relieved to get back on the field.”
Elizabeth Poulin of McAuley (4-4) scored a game-high four goals. She made it 12-12 with 2:04 to play.
“Especially with Allison in goal (in the first half), our momentum was a little down because she’s one of our top scorers,” Poulin said. “But I think we really boosted each other up and got it in the end.”
The second penalty probably hurt Deering (2-7) the most.
Erin Matthews was called for an illegal check while scoring an apparent goal with 20:21 to play in the second half. If the goal had counted, Deering would have led 12-6.
“That might have decided it right there,” Burgos said.
Instead the lead was quickly cut to 11-8 when Greta DiPierro (3 goals) scored a pair of free-position goals with Matthews serving her two-minute penalty.
Goals by Poulin and Tardif had the lead down to 11-10 before Matthews scored her third of the game with 15:33 remaining – on a shot that looked markedly similar to the disallowed goal.
Shortly after Matthews’ goal, Deering was called for a pair of dangerous plays when Anna Thach, then draw-control specialist Micary Verville (3 goals) knocked into McAuley players who had position for loose balls.
By rule, a team must forfeit a player after a fourth penalty. Each subsequent penalty results in the removal of another player.
The fifth and sixth penalties were called in the final 30 seconds: Deering was called for illegal checks to the head as Poulin calmly stickhandled around the offensive end perimeter.
Poulin, who was called for McAuley’s only penalty, was pivotal to the Lions’ comeback, taking the draws in the second half. Deering had won 11 of 16 draws in the first half and six Rams scored. McAuley had a 6-5 advantage in the second half, limiting Deering’s effective transition offense.
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