FALMOUTH — The Falmouth girls’ lacrosse team waited over 10 months to host the Yarmouth Clippers again.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Navigators’ wait to avenge last year’s playoff ouster came to a satisfying conclusion.
Falmouth trailed by a goal four times in the first half but freshman Riley Davis scored a pair of fourth-quarter goals to lead Falmouth (2-0) to an 8-7 win.
“Last year was very much on everybody’s minds,” said Falmouth Coach Ashley Pullen. “The last thing I said to the girls before the beginning of the game was, ‘Remember what happened on this field the last time we saw Yarmouth here.’ We wanted to get revenge.”
Davis, who wears No. 1 just like former Falmouth star Sloane Ginevan (now at Notre Dame), led the Navigators with three goals, three assists and a strong performance in the draw circle.
“It’s been awesome so far,” Davis said. “I have awesome leaders and great coaches that make me a lot better.”
Aine Powers scored a pair of first-half goals for Yarmouth, playing its season opener, and Maddie Jones and Lauren Keaney each had one in the half. The Clippers, however, couldn’t hold any of their leads and the game was tied 5-5 at the half. Falmouth’s Peaches Stucker had two first-half goals.
Mallory Kerr put Falmouth on top midway through the third quarter, but 25 seconds into the fourth Powers set up Brooke Boone to make it 6-6.
Davis then was the difference-maker. She finished a feed from Audrey Farnham with 5:50 left, then took a pass from Stucker to beat Yarmouth goalie Regan Sullivan (11 saves) with 4:45 left.
“Riley’s a mini-Sloane,” said Stucker. “She brings a lot of good energy. She looks for everyone else and it’s not about herself.”
Keaney scored with 2:13 left for Yarmouth, but Davis won the ensuing draw and the Navigators ran two minutes off the clock before turning the ball over.
The Clippers had one more chance with 9 seconds left, but had to go the length of the field and never managed a shot as Falmouth closed out its victory.
“This definitely had playoff energy and it was a great battle,” said Pullen. “We made a few adjustments in the second half and caused more turnovers. We played more patient and clean. The little things added up at the end.”
Stucker had two goals and two assists, Kerr added a pair of goals and Liesl Boothby also scored for the Navigators. Goalie Amelia Brann stopped five shots.
Powers and Keaney each scored twice for Yarmouth. Boone, Jones and Neena Panozzo also scored for the Clippers, who turned the ball over 19 times.
“It’s not what happens in April, it’s what happens in June,” said Clippers Coach Dorothy Holt. “It was good to start with a game like this. We did a good job, but too many turnovers was the name of the game today.”
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