In order for the Westhill girls lacrosse team to make its strongest push at the area’s reigning Class C power, Skaneateles, it first had to make sure it had superiority over all of its neighbors.
Having already beaten Bishop Ludden-Bishop Grimes, the Warriors took aim at Marcellus last Monday night, and with another superb all-around effort Westhill defeated the Mustangs by a 15-7 margin.
The duo of Erin McMullen and Haileigh Farrell managed to outscore Marcellus by themselves, McMullen finishing with five goals and Farrell contributing four goals as Shelby Stack scored twice, adding a pair of assists.
Sam VanBuren also had two goals, with Natalie Jetter adding a goal and two assists. Abby Stack also found the net as Caroline Miller contributed an assist. Morgan Hayes was superb in the net for the Warriors, stopping 10 of the 17 shots she faced.
On the Mustangs’ side, no one could break out. Grace Coon, Collette Rigas and Abby Vetsch each notched a pair of goals, while Maddie Conklin, the focus of Westhill’s defense, was held to a single goal.
Three nights later, the Warriors went to Hyatt Stadium and took its best shot at Skaneateles, and it did stay on fairly even terms with the Lakers most of the night – but paid for a slow start in a 12-8 defeat.
This started with the Skaneateles defense, who clamped down on Westhill throughout the first half and held them to a pair of goals. Meanwhile, the Lakers stayed patient on the other end and carefully built up a 6-2 lead.
With that cushion, the Lakers could afford some lapses during the second half, but answered every possible Warriors surge as Bailey Herr and Catie Woodruff both finished the game with four goals, while Mae McGlynn and Hannah Logan each scored twice.
McMullen (three goals, one assist) and Farrell (two goals, one assist) led the Warriors as Shelby Stack got a goal and three assists. Miller and VanBuren had the other goals as Hayes made eight saves, one less than Skaneateles counterpart Allison Weiss.
Marcellus rebounded from its loss to Westhill by routing Rome Free Academy 21-2 on Thursday night. Conklin had four goals and four assists, while Coon and Maddy LoCastro each got four goals and two assists. Abby Vetsch and Lily Powell both scored three times as Anna Vetsch added two goals and Olivia Bird three assists. Rigas contributed one goal and one assist.
Jordan-Elbridge continued its quick start last Tuesday night by venturing north and routing General Brown 18-4, notching nine goals in each half while playing solid defense around goalie Anna Bozeat, who made nine saves.
Marissa Malvaso and Alexis Braun each scored four times, with Malvaso adding an assist. Miranda Malvaso contributed three goals as Emily Kuehnle and Annalea O’Brien had two goals apiece. Antonia Malvaso (one goal, three assists) and Alison Jennings (one goal, two assists) helped, too, with Emily Somes getting the other goal and Alexis Switzer adding two assists.
J-E then visited Homer on Saturday afternoon and won big, 14-3, blanking the Trojans during a 7-0 first half and moving from there as Switzer, with two goals and three assists, paced the attack.
Marissa Malvaso managed three goals and one assist as Katie Goodrich, Miranda Malvaso and Antonia Malvaso also scored twice. Jennings, Alexis Fietta and Alexis Braun added single goals, the Eagles improving to 5-1 in advance of a key Monday game against Marcellus.
Ludden-Grimes met Cazenovia Wednesday night at West Genesee High School’s Mike Messere Field, where it lost, 12-3, to those other Lakers. Emma Driscoll, Laura Patulski and Rhonee Shea Pal each had one goal, but Cazenovia mostly shut down Ludden-Grimes and saw Keara Dwyer and Chloe Willard each score four times, with Dwyer adding two assists and Willard a single assist.
On Saturday, though, Ludden-Grimes defeated Cortland 13-10, gaining an 8-5 edge by halftime and trading goals the rest of the way, overcoming a seven-goal effort by the Purple Tigers’ Shea Swartout.
For her part, Molly McInerney had five goals and one assist, while Patulski and Grace Lambrych had two goals apiece. Driscoll notched a goal and two assists as Shea Pal, Katy McInerney and Colleen Murphy also scored, Murphy adding an assist. Camille O’Kane, in goal, recorded eight saves.
