By Anthony Caruso
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/30/14
A one-day rain delay did not sidetrack the Moorestown girls’ lacrosse team.
The host Quakers raced to a quick 5-0 lead and coasted past Princeton, 17-4, Thursday to claim the South Jersey Group 3 girls’ lacrosse championship.
Moorestown (23-0), ranked No. 1 by Phillylacrosse.com and No. 2 nationally by Brine/TopLaxRecruits, advance to the state Group 3 final vs. Mendham (13-6) Saturday at noon at Monmouth University.
This game was slated for Wednesday, but the Moorestown field was too wet. Now the Quaker seniors say goodbye to their home field after their 74th straight victory.
“We all played as a team and it’s emotional, because I’ve been playing with many of these girls since third grade,” said senior Marie McCool, who had three goals and an assist. “We played awesome together, and we went out with a bang in our last time at home together.”
“I think they were really excited, and it showed in their play,” added Quakers coach Deana Knobloch. “They played as a team, and it was a total team effort. The defense played a great game, and Gabby Cooper (five saves) was great in the net. I’m very pleased with the performance. “
Melanie Becker also had three goals and an assist for Moorestown and Tristan McGinley had two goals and an assist while Adriana Pendino added two goals and one assist.
“They (the seniors) stepped their game up this postseason,” Knobloch said. “Have we played our best lacrosse game yet? I’m not sure. We have beat teams pretty handedly in the postseason, but it hasn’t been our best game yet. Maybe they’re saving it for later.”
Gabby Gibbons had three goals for Princeton (17-4).
Moorestown 17, Princeton 5
Princeton 2 3 -5
Moorestown 8 9 -17
Moorestown
Kayla Pruitt 1g, 1a
Marie McCool 3g, 1a
Emily Troy 1g
Adriana Pendino 2g, 1a
Alex O’Donnell 1g
Quinn Nicolai 2g
Tristan McGinley 2g, 2a
Sydney Dalmass 1g, 1a
Melanie Becker 3g, 1a
Kierstyn Voiro 1g, 2a
Gabby Cooper 5 saves
Princeton
Emilia Lopez-Ona 1g, 1a
Alexandra Callaway 1g
Gabby Gibbons 3g
Mira Shane 13 saves
Lenape 17, West Windsor-Plainsboro North 14
Nicole Donnelly scored five goals and Gabrielle Fornia had four to lead the host Indians (20-1) to the Group 4 championship.
Lenape – which has won 17 straight games – will face Ridge on Saturday in the Group 4 final at 2 p.m. at Monmouth University.
Gabrielle Fornia and Natalie Peel each sank four goals and Rena Carabases pumped in two goals. Carlee Braverman and Kaity McKenna each scored once in the victory.
Olivia Harpel led West Windsor-Plainsboro North with four goals.
West Windsor-Plainsboro North 11 3 -14
Lenape 11 6 -17
West Windsor-Plainsboro North
Carli Harpel 2g
Olivia Harpel 4g
Alex Hendry 3g
Morgan Hendry 1g
Victoria L’Insalata 2g
Talise Redmond 1g
Julia Tampellini 1g
Lenape
Carlee Braverman 1g
Rena Carabases 2g
Nicole Donnelly 5g
Gabrielle Fornia 4g
Kaity McKenna 1g
Natalie Peel 4g
