Minnechaug grabs big win over Longmeadow


Longmeadow's Jillian Scyocurca looks for space while Minnechaug's Sarah Martin (18) pursues. Reminder Publications photo by Chris Maza

April 16, 2012

By Chris Maza

chrism@thereminder.com

LONGMEADOW — It was only one game, but it was a big one.

The Minnechaug Regional High School girls lacrosse team captured its biggest win of the young season, topping host Longmeadow 10-7 in a game in which the score was not indicative of its course.

The Falcons dominated for long stretches, including the final 15 minutes of the first half during which they outscored the Lancers 6-1 and held a five-goal lead with less than six minutes remaining in the game before Longmeadow attempted a late comeback.

The win represents the fourth for the undefeated Falcons, but it also marked the first time the two schools have played since Longmeadow topped Minnechaug 11-8 in the 2011 Western Massachusetts championship game, snapping the Falcons' unblemished season.

The loss was Longmeadow's first of the year, leaving them at 3-1 on the young season.

Still, Minnechaug head coach David Yelle kept the game and the effort in perspective.

"It was a good win, but it's a regular season win," he said. "I've still got a list about the length of my arm with things that we need to improve upon. I think we played a pretty good game against a good team, but we could have been a lot sharper."

Yelle lauded his team for its ability to overcome changes in the starting lineup for the game.

"One of our starters wasn't with us today because she had the flu, but the people that stepped in, in her place did very well and it was pretty seamless," he said.

Five Minnechaug players had multi-point games with Sarah Martin sparking the offense with four goals, including three in the first half.

Mary Jackman and Riley Brennan netted two goals apiece while Quincy Wilkins put together a five-point effort with a goal and four assists. Amber Tobin chipped in with two points, potting a goal and assisting another.

The Falcons also received a tremendous effort in net by Mimi Khampaeng, who made 12 saves.

"The kind of effort she gave us today is the same kind of effort she gives us everyday," Yelle said. "She was just spectacular."

Jillian Scyocurca scored three goals to lead the Lancers, who also got two-point efforts from Alexa Cambi and Eileen MacDonald, both of whom had a goal and an assist. Katherine Ryan and Cailin Pandolfi rounded out the scoring for the Lancers with a goal apiece.

After the game started with five scoreless minutes, Jackman drew first blood with a goal at 19:23. But the Lancers answered with two goals in less than a minute from Scyocurca and Cambi to take a 2-1 lead with 15:46 remaining in the first half.

After that, the Falcons took over as Martin scored back-to-back goals, including a nifty marker in which she lost the ball, recovered, then sliced through four Lancers before burying the ball in the back of the net.

Brennan then scored her first goal of the game, followed by Wilkins's lone marker of the game, boosting Minnechaug's advantage to 5-2 with 8:42 left in the half.

Ryan stopped the bleeding for Longmeadow momentarily with a goal at 6:25, but Minnechaug finished off the first half with two more goals — one from Tobin on a feed from Wilkins and the other off the stick of Martin with two seconds remaining.

Longmeadow tried to close the gap early in the second half, but for every punch the Lancers landed, the Falcons answered with a counterpunch.

Scyocurca scored her second goal of the game to open the second half scoring at 21:21, but Jackman answered right back with a marker of her own for the Falcons 50 seconds later.

Scyocurca again pulled the Lancers within three goals with 18:31 left in the game, but Brennan responded just 13 seconds later with a Falcons goal.

Martin scored her final goal with just over six minutes remaining in the contest, pushing the lead to five and forcing Longmeadow to take a timeout.

After the timeout, Pandolfi and MacDonald both scored for Longmeadow, but it wasn't enough.

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