By Harry Chaykun
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/15/15
Jesse Rubin described the pyramid of goals she and her Friends’ Central teammates set during the lacrosse season.
“At the top of the pyramid is going undefeated in the league and winning the league (playoffs),” Rubin said.
The Phoenix made it to the top Friday afternoon, earning a 15-8 decision over visiting Germantown Friends in the Friends School League playoff championship game.
Friends’ Central (16-4) closed a perfect run through the league in regular- and post-season play. Next up is the challenge of defending the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Tournament title. The first state tourney game will be Monday afternoon, when FC (third-seeded) will host either Germantown Academy or Shipley.
Rubin, a junior, and senior Sophie Macfarlane, who are two of Friends’ Central’s captains, were more motivated than most of their teammates to play in Friday’s title match. Both missed the 2014 Friends League final because of injuries.
“I hurt my ankle one week into last season and couldn’t play again,” said Rubin, who scored five goals and had two assists against Germantown Friends. “I had a concussion during soccer season, but I was ready to resume playing by December. I had to be ready for lacrosse because of what happened last year.”
Rubin and Macfarlane both got two goals and one assist in the first 14 minutes Friday as Friends’ Central built an 8-0 lead. Lorna Macfarlane and Abby Crowley also contributed a pair of goals during that scoring outburst.
“So many of our plays are pass-oriented,” Rubin said. “We have eight players in our attack who can score, and everyone contributed today.”
That is what makes head coach Lauren Becker Rubin happy.
“When everybody is doing what they did today, that’s just what we want,” she said. “We won draws, our defense did a good job of stopping their best scorers, and we came up with a lot of turnovers. We had girls who were fighting injuries, but they played through all of that.
“I can’t be prouder of what they did. Germantown Friends is always such a strong opponent and so well-coached. We know we have to work hard to keep getting better if we want to keep up with them.”
Sophie Macfarlane (three goals, two assists) had knee surgery and was sidelined for the entire 2014 season.
“Last year our (Friends League playoff) season ended with a tough loss,” said Macfarlane, who will play next spring at Brown University. “Then we came back to win the state title, but I wasn’t able to play in any of those games.
“That’s why I wanted to make sure we got the playoff title back this year. And now we have to focus and work hard for our games next week.”
The Friends’ Central defense of Avital Schweitzer, Lisa Bernstein, Hannah Posencheg, Abby Crowley, Miranda Mastrocola and Lorna Macfarlane also was standout in support of junior goalie Anne Pizzini.
MacFarlane also pointed out how hard Friends’ Central works on attack.
“We run through our plays methodically,” she said.
Seniors Greta Meyer and Eliana Chalphin and sophomore Sophie Smith scored two goals for Germantown Friends.
Friends’ Central 15, Germantown Friends 7
Germantown Friends 4 3 – 7
Friends’ Central 8 7 – 15
Germantown Friends:
Greta Meyer 2G
Eliana Chalphin 2G
Sophie Smith 2G
Ava Schwemler 1G 1A
Celia Meyer 1A.
Friends’ Central:
Jesse Rubin: 5 goals, 3 assists, 4 DC.
Sophie Macfarlane: 3goals, 1a, 1GB, 2CT
Emily Tedesco: 2G, 2A, 2GB
Abby Crowley: 2G, 2GB, 1CT
Lorna Macfarlane: 2G, 1A, 3DC, 2CT
Miranda Mastrocola: 1G, 2DC, 2GB
Sophie Berger: 3GB
Hayden Posencheg: 3GB, 1CT
Avital Schweitzer: 2GB
Hannah Posencheg: 1DC
Anne Pizzini: 6 saves, 1GB
Lisa Bernstein: 1GB, 1CT
Saves: Corin Grady (GF) 5; Anne Pizzini (FC) 5.
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