Balis stated that trust was the key factor in their team’s defensive strategy. They recognized that their efforts were a collective effort and they had confidence in each other to cover and support during slides.
Tess DeLuca from Maryvale showed great skills in goal, preventing the game from completely slipping away in the first half.
Last month’s 9-7 loss to Maryvale, where Balis received two yellow cards in the first quarter, resulted in a stark contrast to the current outcome.“We looked passive all day. Just pass the ball around and not really looking to drive,” Lions coach Brian Reese said. “I’m not going to dwell on this game. I don’t think anybody thought we’d be where we were this year after losing 15 seniors last year. The girls worked hard and I’m super, super proud of them.”
The Gators, with a record of 15-5, maintained their advantage by successfully defending against man-down situations in the beginning of the third quarter. Defenders Balis and Christina King (from Georgetown) consistently caused turnovers and prevented successful shots. Additionally, Radebaugh, who will be playing for Florida in the future, made six saves in goal.
“Timing is crucial,” stated goalie Susan Radebaugh. “We must peak in the month of May.”
St. Paul’s and McDonogh will face each other in the conference final for the fourth time in the last five seasons. Last year, McDonogh defeated the Gators 13-8 in the championship game and has now won three consecutive matches against them, including a two-goal victory in the regular season finale last week.
The Gators argue that their opponent for this weekend will not ultimately determine the outcome.
St. Paul’s emerged victorious with a 13-4 score in their game against host team, No. 2 Maryvale. This secures their place in the A Conference championship game on Friday night at USA Lacrosse in Sparks, marking their fourth consecutive appearance. They will be facing McDonogh, the top-ranked team, who defeated Archbishop Spalding with a score of 10-7. This sets up a rematch of last year’s final for the Gators.
Kira’s success in the draws was a major advantage for us,” remarked St. Paul’s coach Mary Gagnon. “It created a great shift in momentum.”
The No. 4 St. Paul’s girls lacrosse team, with a young offense still developing, faced some difficulties mid-season and unexpectedly lost three games in a row.
During the semifinals of the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference on Wednesday, the Gators continued their annual tradition of success.
Gagnon expressed his belief that coaching revolves around the team’s performance. While acknowledging the importance of every team, he emphasized the need for preparation. As the season progresses, he emphasized the importance of bringing one’s best game.Goals: SP — O’Day 3, Porter 3, R. Vasile 3, Lim 2, Balis, C. Vasile; M — Kinkead, Minderlein, Mohn, Reese.
Half of St. Paul’s winning score is 7 goals while their opponent’s score is 2.
Helper passes: SP- Porter 2, Vaughan 2, Hoskins.
Maryvale (16-3), who was ranked 8th in the nation by Inside Lacrosse and 10th by USA Lacrosse (one spot higher than St. Paul’s in both polls), struggled to find a rhythm on offense despite having three chances with a man advantage.
Marleigh O’Day from Clemson, Maggie Porter from Penn State, and Riley Vasile from Southern California each contributed three goals to St. Paul’s impressive 7-2 lead. Senior Kira Balis (Clemson) was a dominating force on the draw control, helping the team score three goals in under a minute towards the end of the first half against Maryvale.
The score was 13-4 in favor of St. Paul’s against Maryvale.
Saves: SP – Radebaugh with 6; M – DeLuca with 6.
“We have focused a lot on man-down scenarios during practice and we were well-equipped to handle them,” stated Radebaugh.
