Slow start dooms SV
JACKSON TWP — North Allegheny's recent success in girls lacrosse has been spurred by a lethal attack.
It showed up again Thursday as the Tigers scored nine goals in the first 12 minutes en route to an 18-8 victory over Seneca Valley at NexTier Stadium.
It is the eighth consecutive win for NA (8-1, 6-0), which has outscored its foes 156-43 in that span.
“Our ball movement is the biggest reason for the offensive numbers we've been putting up,” said Tigers' coach Harry Datz. “We entered this season with a lot of suspicion because of quarantines and not knowing how many players teams were going to have. We're just trying to find the pieces to the puzzle.”
One key piece for the Tigers this season has been Skye DePrado, a senior member of the team's attack. She took control early against the Raiders, scoring four goals in the first four minutes of the game.
She ended the night with seven goals, while teammate Lola Wilhite scored four times.
“Skye is headed to Central Michigan and Lola to Bucknell,” said Datz. “They play for competing club teams, but we enjoy watching them control the ball. They feed each other.”
The majority of the first half was very frustrating for the Raiders and coach Katie Smolter.
“We were doubting ourselves on defense early on,” she said. “When we work as a unit, we are a very strong defensive team. But when we're quiet, teams take advantage of that. NA did tonight.”
Junior Payton Riddle got the Raiders (2-5, 1-4) on the board with a goal with 9:17 left in the first half, but the Tigers soon resumed their onslaught, scoring twice in the span of 52 seconds.
SV tallied the final three goals before halftime, with Sarah Cyphers and Riddle (2) combining to cut NA's lead to 11-4 at the break.
Ally Donesec and Macy McMullen assisted on SV's second and fourth goals, respectively, as the Raiders gained momentum before the break.
“Our attitude was the difference, a change in mind-set,” said Smolter.
The Tigers scored three straight times to begin the second half, however, with Wilhite and DePrado (2) finding the net against back-up goalie Shannon Jenkins. The spree pushed NA's lead to 14-4 with 16:40 remaining.
Riddle, who scored a team-high five goals, Cyphers and Charlotte Purcell combined to scored four straight goals on NA's Izzy Trunzo to make it 14-8 with 12 minutes left, but SV's early deficit was too much to overcome.
“Between COVID and quarantining and injuries, we have a small roster this year, just 24 total girls between varsity and JV,” said Smolter. “We have some really talented individual players, but a lot of sophomores, too. There was no season last year, so this is the first season of high school lacrosse for them.”
SV starting goalie Elyse Kiggins made five saves and Jenkins stopped two shots. Trunzo denied five shots.
