For nearly a month, the Skaneateles girls lacrosse team had, burned within its collective memory, the way Westhill had toyed with them in an April 15 home loss.
The Lakers would not let that happen again in last Monday’s rematch at Westhill, where it dominated on both sides of the ball and ripped the Warriors 11-5.
Part of that result had to do with the fact that Westhill was short-handed. Senior star Laura Zimmerman, who is going to the University of North Carolina next fall, was on the sidelines, still recovering from mononucleosis.
Thus, instead of having to concentrate one or two defenders on Zimmerman, the Lakers could deal with the Warriors one-on-one, and that proved quite effective.
Led by Brittany LaVaute, Amy Riehlman and Margaret Shanley, the Skaneateles defense ran step-for-step with the Westhill attackers, constantly stripping the ball and forcing rushed shots. And when that didn’t work, Heather Mullen gobbled up the ball on her way to eight saves for the afternoon.
At one point in the game, Westhill got shut out for more than 23 minutes, the longest it had gone without a goal all season. Three top scorers — Carolyn Clark, Sam Marshall and Katie Doherty — each were held scoreless.
As this was going on, midfielders Jenna Lotkowictz, Maddy Morrissey and Laura Trenti did a masterful job controlling the ball and the game’s tempo, using long, patient possessions to negate any attempt by the Warriors to run and gun, as it wanted.
Lotkowictz proved to be the offensive anchor, earning three goals and adding three assists. Morrissey, Shannon Tierney and Kelsey Nangle each found the net twice, while Lindsay Angelillo and Katherine Pille also scored.
Skaneateles has another key game Thursday night, when it hosts CBA – a team it beat back on April 17.
