FALMOUTH — Top-ranked Falmouth, the defending Class A girls’ lacrosse state champion, was pushed to the limit Friday night by Cheverus, but senior Caitlyn Camelio refused to allow her high school career to end.

Camelio scored her seventh goal of the game, off a free position with 2:06 to play, and the Yachtsmen, despite letting a five-goal lead in the second half slip away, held off the fifth-seeded Stags for an 11-10 victory in a Class A North semifinal.

Cheverus, behind the brilliant play of senior Zoe Mazur, erased a 9-4 deficit to twice tie the score, but Camelio put the Yachtsmen (12-1) ahead to stay. Falmouth earned a spot in the regional final Wednesday against second-seeded Windham or third-ranked Portland.

Falmouth’s Avi Fishman looks for an open teammate while being defdended by Sarah Cummings of Cheverus. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

“I’m relieved and exhilarated,” said Camelio, who will play at the University of Michigan next year. “Cheverus is a great team and Zoe Mazur was amazing, but we stayed strong and never gave up.”

Falmouth, which beat Cheverus 14-7 in the regular season, got two quick goals from Camelio and another from Avi Fishman. After Aisling Flaherty answered for the Stags (8-6), Camelio scored twice more for a 5-1 lead. Cheverus drew within 5-3 by halftime thanks to two goals from Riley O’Mara.

Mazur opened the second half with an unassisted goal, but Camelio scored twice more, and Kayla Sarazin and Fishman added goals to make it 9-4 and seemingly put the Yachtsmen in position to advance.

But back came the Stags.

Mazur scored on a free position, O’Mara scored, then Bella Booth produced consecutive goals before Annesley Black made it 9-9 with 8:09 to play.

Zoe Mazur of Cheverus tries to get past Natalie Birkel of Falmouth. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

“We’re kind of a second-half team,” Mazur said. “We pumped each other up.”

Eva Clement put Falmouth back in the lead off a free position with 4:40 left, but Mazur pounced on a loose ball and beat Yachtsmen goalie Hannah Dubinsky (four saves) with 3:09 remaining to make it 10-10.

But Falmouth did just enough to prevail.

“It was a great game,” said Falmouth Coach Ashley Pullen. “As emotionally draining as these games are, they’re also exhilarating. Cheverus was amazing. I can’t say enough about their effort.”

Caitlyn Camelio of Falmouth battles to get through a handful of Cheverus defenders, including Bella Booth, left. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

The Stags got two goals apiece from Mazur and O’Mara, and 13 saves from Neve Cawley.

“I can’t say the word disappointed,” said Cheverus first-year coach Lauren Lessard. “I couldn’t have asked for anything more my first year. They left their hearts out on the field and fought for every ball.

“We have a great group of seniors, but I know that our underclassmen and freshmen we’ll have coming in will do the work in the offseason, and we’ll be back.”

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