(BRYN ATHYN, Pa.) – The best season in the history of Wilson women's lacrosse has come to an end after the Phoenix were defeated by Bryn Athyn in the CSAC Championship final on Saturday afternoon. Second-seeded Wilson was neck-and-neck with the top-seeded Lions, but the hosts used a 3-0 run in the third quarter and held off the Phoenix the rest of the way.
The Basics
Score: No. 2 Wilson 8, No. 1 Bryn Athyn 10
Venue: Nelson Field
Records: No. 2 Wilson 12-5, No. 1 Bryn Athyn 11-2
How It Happened
- A pair of yellow cards hampered the Phoenix early and the Lions were able to take advantage and opened the scoring with a free position goal 1:53 into the game. The Phoenix were quick to respond and tied it up 2:35 later as Marissa Eisenhauer (Jr., Denville, N.J. / Morris Knolls) found the back of the net for just the third time this season. After a draw control win by Jill Ahlgren (Jr., Mercersburg, Pa. / Mercersburg), Wilson took its first lead of the game on score by Sage Lague (So., Fairplay, Md. / Goretti) on a dish from Eisenhauer less than a minute later.
- Bryn Athyn came back to tie the game on another free position goal, but another draw control by Ahlgren transitioned into a goal by Emily Young (So., Fairfax, Va. / Chantilly) with Ahlgren getting the assist. With the first quarter clock almost expired, Lague drew a foul and was awarded a free position attempt that she scored on with under a second left.
- The second quarter went the way of the Lions as they scored three goals to reclaim the lead. After tying the game, the go-ahead goal came on a free position with 2:40 left and gave the Phoenix a 5-4 deficit at halftime.
- After the break, Lague sparked a fire with a draw control win and went down to score 15 seconds later to tie the game. Midway through the frame, a save by Krystal Kienast (Jr., Purcellville, Va. / Loudon Valley) turned into a successful clear by Wilson and ended with Lague's fourth goal of the game on a helper by Paige Reynolds (Sr., Keedysville, Md. / Boonsboro). It gave the Blue and White a 6-5 lead, but unfortunately the Lions were able to counter and score three goals to close the period.
- Reynolds opened the scoring in the fourth and brought Wilson back within one. Less than two minutes later, a shot by Bryn Athyn's Maria Storck looked to be saved initially, but trickled out and into the goal to put the Lions back up two. Wilson returned the favor as Hope Sanders (So., Hanover, Pa. / New Oxford) answered with a goal the barely crossed the goal line just 36 seconds later. Bryn Athyn was able to get the last word in, however, as the Lions scored to go up 10-8 with 5:58 remaining in the game. Wilson was only able to get off one shot the rest of the way as the Lions milked the clock with a few possessions in the final minutes.
Inside The Numbers
- Lague led all scorers in the game with four goals. She ends the season with 43 goals, sixth-most in the CSAC and her second consecutive 40 goal season.
- Young, Reynolds and Eisenhauer all recorded a goal and an assist.
- Ahlgren was marked consistently throughout the game preventing most offensive opportunities for the CSAC's leading scorer, but she still remained a force on defense with six ground balls, seven draw controls, and a caused turnover.
- Kienast made eight saves on the day and picked up an additional three ground balls.
- Wilson won the draw control battle 16-5, but lost the turnover margin 27-18 and was outshot 25-18.
- Although the season has concluded, it will be one lined in the record books for a while. The 12 wins doubled the previous record set last season.
- The Phoenix also set almost every offensive record in program history. They scored 236 goals and 123 assists for 359 points. That's 85 goals and 64 assists more than the previous best set by last year's squad.
- Defensively the Phoenix caused 212 turnovers, picked up 347 ground balls, and won 258 draws, all surpassing the numbers the previous year as well.
