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Bowe, Clearview roll in lacrosse quarterfinal

Gianna Bowe is known for her speed. And, generally, the Clearview attacker is eager to show how she earned the reputation.

Clearview's # 19 Hannah Quast runs into a few sticks while charging up the field in the second half of the Eastern at Clearview HS SJ Group 4 girls' lacrosse  tournament  on May 19, 2015.  (ELIZABETH ROBERTSON /Staff Photographer)
Clearview's # 19 Hannah Quast runs into a few sticks while charging up the field in the second half of the Eastern at Clearview HS SJ Group 4 girls' lacrosse tournament on May 19, 2015. (ELIZABETH ROBERTSON /Staff Photographer)Read more

Gianna Bowe is known for her speed.

And, generally, the Clearview attacker is eager to show how she earned the reputation.

"I love the pressure," she said. "I make it my goal to be faster than anyone."

In one of her flashier plays during a 20-4 win over-fifth-seeded Eastern on Tuesday afternoon, Bowe gained possession of the ball and outran an entire field of defenders on a straight sprint that lasted almost 60 yards.

When she approached the net, she still had enough gas to juke two players - with cuts that would make Barry Sanders proud - standing between her and the goal.

It led to one of her game-high six goals as the fourth-seeded Pioneers advanced at home in a South Jersey Group 4 quarterfinal.

"I thought we played awesome - my team did a great job of creating space for me. This is the game we've been preparing for ever since our season started back in March," said Bowe, whose Pioneers advanced to a showdown at top-seeded Lenape on Thursday. "I'm approaching this postseason by pumping up my teammates, that's my goal. I want to be the spark, because I think that can get our whole team going."

Bowe, a 5-foot spark plug, scored three straight in just under two minutes early in the second half to give Clearview (15-6) a comfortable 12-2 lead it never lost.

In her senior year, the attacker is clearly making up for lost time after a high-school career riddled with hard luck.

She helped lead the Pioneers to a sectional title as a freshman. But a broken ankle shortened her sophomore year, and a torn anterior cruciate ligament cost her the bulk of her junior season.

The injuries, particularly the ACL tear, make her current speed all the more striking.

"I don't think there's any doubt that Gianna is such a hard worker, a gifted athlete, and an unbelievable lacrosse player," said Clearview coach Megan Conklin. "She's fast, she's dynamic with her movements. And I have to give her credit: She worked incredibly hard to get back into this shape."

Bowe, a North Carolina recruit, was one of the most highly regarded players in the country before her injuries. Her play of late offers a definitive answer to anyone who thought that standing might have changed because of her injury.

"I feel even better than I was before, with my confidence, with my play, everything," she said.

"And the support from my teammates just makes me want to work even harder."

Tuesday afternoon, Eastern (11-8) was without star Austyn Cuneo, who sat with a knee injury that isn't believed to be serious.

But regardless of who was on the field, the Pioneers were simply a team on a mission.

"Clearview brought it today," Eastern coach Katie Lee said.

"We're a young team, but our seniors were amazing from start to finish this year. . . . At the end of the day, they had a lot of heart, they worked hard and it got us to this point."

Eastern 2 2 - 4

Clearview 9 11 - 20

Goals: E-Kaela Sierra 2, Sam Mlkvy, Savannah Slack; C-Gianna Bowe 6, Kasey Diodati 4, Ali Donohue 4, Hannah Quast 2, Camryn Pennypacker 2, Julia Stumpf, Dani Paterno.

Saves: E-Cooper Cowdin 5, Erin Gill 1; C-Carly Shaup 4.