Rolling to an 8-2 lead in the first 10 minutes of Thursday’s game, the No. 1 McDonogh Eagles set the pace for their offense and cruised on to a 23-12 girls’ lacrosse win over the No. 3 John Carroll Patriots at Tucker Field in Bel Air.
“We really came out and played well, executed well and the kids were fired up,” McDonogh coach Chris Robinson said. “We knew John Carroll was going to be a big team who would be challenging us; they were the last team to win the championship besides us.”
The two-time defending IAAM champs were quite hot for the dreary, miserable rain and cold weather conditions they played through, finishing the first half with a seven goal lead, 14-7, and tacking on another nine goals in the second half for the 23-12 final.
Jen Cook finished the game with six goals and two assists to lead the steaming McDonogh offense, with teammates Brooks Lawler and Posey Valis each scoring four more times for the Eagles.
Taylor Cummings, while splitting six goals evenly with Whittle, was a big part of McDonogh’s 22-draw wins, leading to added scores by single-goal scorers Schonk and Muller.
“I thought we did a great job on draw control and, in the first half, I thought we were very patient,” Robinson said. “We worked for very high percentage shots and the kids played pretty smart.”
John Carroll managed 19 shots on the McDonogh goal, seeing Annie Thomas and Erica Bodt each net three goals on the day, with single scores from Reese, Haggerty, Cat Gordon and Lazaro.
McDonogh never allowed John Carroll to string together more than two scores, seeing Thomas and Lazaro score back-to-back goals late in the first half, while the Eagles themselves went on five individual runs, the largest being four four-goal runs throughout the two halves.
“It is always a big game playing Mcdonogh, but in lacrosse it is what you dream for,” John Carroll coach Krystin Procella said. “It is hard to spot a team like that a six-goal lead and try to come back.
“I thought we played good a times and had moments when we played well.”
McDonogh’s next showdown comes with Garrison Forest, Tuesday, when the Eagles look to continue their 2011 perfection.
“It is only game five but we have played three of the big contenders,” Robinson said, acknowledging No. 14 Roland Park, No. 3 John Carroll and No. 2 Notre Dame Prep. “We have a very young team so I think they are just excited to play.
“There are going to be people out there just trying to take a shot at us with the huge bulls eye on our back.”
John Carroll, considered young by Procella, will look to compose itself and prepare for a Monday match-up with Maryvale Prep.
“It is a really early and we are still trying to find chemistry,” Procella said, “so we are leaving this game with a lot to feel good about, but also knowing we have a lot to work on.”
No. 1 McDonogh 23, No. 3 John Carroll 12
McD 14 9 — 23
JC 7 5 — 12
