Skip to content
Rally High School Sports
Link copied to clipboard

Strong second half lifts Lenape over Shawnee

Shawnee scored three straight goals late in the first half Wednesday to tie the score and seize the momentum in the South Jersey Group 4 title game in girls' lacrosse.

Shawnee scored three straight goals late in the first half Wednesday to tie the score and seize the momentum in the South Jersey Group 4 title game in girls' lacrosse.

It was a defining moment in Lenape's sensational season.

The Indians responded like champions, getting a huge goal from sophomore Carlee Braverman just 18 seconds before intermission and controlling the second half en route to a 10-7 victory over their sister school and fiercest rival.

"I'm so proud of the grit and determination we showed," Lenape coach Jill McCarthy said. "We made some mistakes but I was so proud of the way we recovered."

Braverman scored two goals and was a major force on draw controls, and junior Kasey Donoghue and sophomore Gabby Fornia each registered a hat trick for Lenape (20-1), which advanced to face the Ridgewood-Bridgewater-Raritan winner Saturday in the state title game at Kean.

Fornia scored the game's first two goals on her 16th birthday.

"Best birthday ever," said Fornia, a Vanderbilt recruit.

Senior Maddie Bray and junior Samantha Tucci each scored two goals and senior Lily Argyle made 11 saves for Shawnee (13-6).

"The kids did a great job," Shawnee coach Aimee Seward said.

Lenape had beaten Shawnee twice in the regular season by scores of 10-5 and 12-7.

But on a hot, humid afternoon, Shawnee pushed Lenape to the limit before a large crowd that stood two-and three-deep on the spectator side of the Indians' field.

"It's hard to play a team that has beaten you twice," Seward said. "But we didn't come in with that attitude. We came in on a mission and we played that way."

Bray's second goal capped a 3-0 surge for Shawnee and tied the score at 5-5 with just 0:57 remaining before halftime.

"They had the momentum," McCarthy said.

Braverman answered with a goal off a free position, sending the Indians into the break with the lead.

"That was huge," McCarthy said.

Braverman said she was determined to score before halftime.

"That was my motivation," Braverman said. "I knew there wasn't much time."

Lenape rode the momentum through the first 15 minutes of the second half, taking a 9-5 lead on goals by Fornia and Kasey Donoghue as well as her sister, sophomore Erin Donoghue.

Shawnee cut the deficit to 9-7 on goals by senior Caroline Farley and Tucci but Kasey Donoghue finished her hat trick and gave Lenape some breathing room with the game's final goal at the 6:47 mark.

"We knew it would be a tough game against tough competition," Kasey Donoghue said. "But we all put as much heart as we could into it."

Shawnee 5 2 - 7

Lenape 6 4 - 10

Goals: S-Maddie Bray 2, Samantha Tucci 2, Liza Barr, Caroline Farley 1, Kate McLoughlin 1. L-Gabby Fornia 3, Kasey Donoghue 3, Carlee Braverman 2, Erin Donoghue 1, Natalie Peel 1.

Saves: S-Lily Argyle 11; L-Rebecca Wilen 5.

panastasia@phillynews.com

@PhilAnastasia

www.philly.com/

jerseysidesports