Long wait ended
BUTLER TWP — This team was due.
And with five seconds left in regulation, the Butler girls lacrosse team finally got the break it was waiting for.
Tied at six with Pine-Richland, the Golden Tornado had one last possession to avoid going into overtime.
Nicole Cancilla received a pass from Amanda Dillon as several Rams defenders closed in on the ball.
Cancilla, who was to the left of the goal, launched a shot toward Pine-Richland's net. The ball hit in front of Rams goalkeeper Lindsey Schreiber and took an awkward bounce past her for the deciding goal with just five seconds left in regulation.
The 7-6 triumph was Butler's first this season.
You couldn't blame the Tornado (1-5) for not wanting to experience another overtime. The squad recently dropped two straight games to Erie and North Hills in the extra period.
"Getting this first win feels great," said Butler coach Joe Dippold. "The girls are playing the game so much faster than before. I think we've upgraded in every position since last year."
Leading 5-4 at halftime, the Rams appeared to be headed for a one-goal victory when Butler tallied a goal each from Susan Davidson and Cara Sabo in the span of 1:24, putting the Tornado up 6-5 with exactly two minutes to play.
Pine-Richland answered 50 seconds later when Kara Deal found the net for the third time in the game.
That tied the score, setting the stage for Butler's dramatic goal.
Though the offense ended up winning the game, it was Butler's defense that kept it in the thick of things.
Tornado goalkeeper Julie Holt totaled 11 saves in the game, including four in the second half.
"The goalkeeping and defense were great," said Dippold. "We did a good job of playing the right hip, taking away their right-handed shots."
Pine-Richland (3-4) opened a 3-1 lead after 16 minutes of play before Butler's offense scored three goals in just over four minutes late in the first half. Nicole Smolen scored two of the goals and Sabo added the other.
The first goal of the game went to Davidson, who put the Tornado up 1-0 just nine seconds into the action.
"Our girls are capable of scoring goals in bunches," said Dippold. "But it all starts with getting ground balls. If we get them, we can score a good bit. If we don't, our offense sputters."
Schreiber managed nine saves for the Rams.
Butler will play at Seneca Valley next Tuesday.
