Notre Dame Academy girls lacrosse team rolls past Cohasset

COHASSET — Analyzing the success of the Notre Dame Academy of Hingham girls lacrosse team can be boiled down to one simple attribute — teamwork.

That teamwork was on display Tuesday at Alumni Field in Cohasset, as the visiting Cougars erupted offensively with 10 players getting at least a point in a 15-5 win over Cohasset in a nonleague contest.

Goals came fast and furious in the opening quarter, starting with junior Isabela Taylor (goal, three assists) just 48 seconds in.

Senior captain Kylie Wilson deposited the next two goals with 6:27 and 5:15 to go in the first, before Cohasset got on the board with a goal from Gennie Littlejohn, to make it 3-1 with 4:59 to go in the frame.

Sophomore Alexa Kenney (goal, assist) scored with 2:25 to go, before junior Hannah Evans notched her first 25 seconds later. Freshman Jane Hilsabeck scored with 31 seconds remaining to make it 6-1 and round out the first-quarter scoring.

Hilsabeck would score 55 seconds into the second, and Kira Fulton would cut into the deficit for the Skippers to make it 7-2, before Hilsabeck notched the hat trick with 8:04 to go in the quarter.

Freshman Aubrey McMahon joined the scoring before Evans collected her second to make it 10-2 heading into halftime.

Senior captain Berit Cenderland scored 42 seconds into the third, and Maddie Miller would answer for Cohasset, before Cenderland deposited another, making it 12-3 midway through the period.

Wilson (three goals, assist) collected the hat trick just moments before Evans registered her third goal, making it 14-3 with 3:20 left in the third quarter.

Evans would lead all scorers on the night with three goals and two assists.

Littlejohn and Fulton each scored in the fourth to cut it to 14-5, before Emma Connerty put one home with 5:40 to go, completing the scoresheet for the night.

NDA hounded the opponent to create drops, outnumbered Cohasset to win ground-ball battles, worked the ball around the perimeter and found the open runner in the slot for the dangerous opportunity in tight time after time, and finished.

“We anticipated pressure,” said NDA head coach Meredith Frank McGinnis. “Cohasset brings a lot of pressure so we just had to have composure with the ball, and the players on the perimeter making sure that they glanced in towards the middle and when they had the looks just take the chance.”

No one player gets it done alone for the Cougars. Instead, a plethora of talented players operate as a cohesive unit in constant motion that is dizzying for the opposing defense.

“Everyone needs to contribute, it doesn’t matter who shows up on what day,” Frank McGinnis said. “Everyone who steps foot in that offense needs to be a threat and needs to know that their teammates are their to support them, we as a whole unit need to be aggressive.”

The strong team play is something that is improving with each game, and is a slight departure from years past when the Cougars may have depended too heavily on a few star players.

“It can’t rest on any one person’s shoulders,” said Frank McGinnis. “Everyone this year who is in the offense is new to the offense, so in order for us to be successful, everyone is going to have to step up. … I think with every game the hope is that we become more confident and more cohesive as a unit.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3p9LvLc