By applying an overwhelming show of offensive firepower, the Skaneateles girls lacrosse team cast aside some pesky league foes.
Yet it saved its best work for week’s end. On Saturday, the Lakers went to Scranton, Pa., and knocked off Shawnee, New Jersey’s top-ranked team, in a 13-12 overtime classic.
Paced again by its high-octane attack, Skaneateles roared out to a 9-4 halftime lead, only to see it all disappear as Shawnee controlled the draws and tempo for much of the second half and edged in front, 12-11.
Making sure that her team did not get beat, Stephanie Rice took over. The brilliant Skaneateles senior got open and, with 55 seconds to go in regulation, threw home the goal to tie it, 12-12. Then, with 2:15 left in overtime, Rice again used her speed and skill to elude the Shawnee defense and put home the game-winner.
All this was part of an afternoon where Rice notched seven goals, a season high. Libby Johnson wasn’t quiet, either, as she got two goals and two assists. Kelsey Nangle, Shannon Tierney, Jenna Lotkowictz and Karen Vitkus all scored, too. Gigi Vaughn played the whole game in the net, recording 12 saves.
This followed a pair of tests much closer to home.
Up against Cazenovia last Tuesday, the western Lakers had plenty of defensive lapses, but still subdued the eastern Lakers in a 19-11 decision.
All through the game, Skaneateles unleashed its attack, setting a torrid pace Cazenovia could not match, despite the fact that the eastern Lakers broke through plenty of times for its own goals.
Rice and Nangle led the point chase, as Rice had five goals and one assist and Nangle added four goals and two assists.
Right behind them, Tierney also found the net four times, adding an assist. Vitkus, Johnson and Lotkowictz put up two goals apiece, with Emma Hueber joining Vitkus and Lotkowictz in the assist column.
At Westhill two days later, the Lakers kept it up — in fact, it did even better, putting together a 21-8 romp over the Warriors.
Anything Westhill tried to contain Skaneateles did not work, as it raced to a 12-5 halftime advantage and wore out the Warriors with near-perfect balance.
Nangle was the lone Laker to get four goals, but four of her teammates got hat tricks. Johnson backed up her three goals with three assists, as Rice, Tierney and Lotkowictz all reached that number, too. Rice added two assists. Vitkus scored twice as Hueber, Lindsay Angelillo and Laura Trenti also took turns scoring.
Skaneateles was expected to get a crucial test Monday from CBA, their first meeting since last year’s Section III Class C final — but the snow threatened that game.
