BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s girls’ varsity lacrosse team held off a late rally by crosstown rival Worcester Prep on Monday to remain unbeaten and inch closer to a perfect regular season.
Something had to give when the Seahawks traveled across town to face the Mallards on Monday. Worcester had lost just one game all season and had reeled off seven straight wins in impressive fashion over the last few weeks. Decatur had not lost all year on their way to a 9-0 record and had rarely been challenged.
Decatur jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first before Worcester got on the board with a goal by Sophie Brennan with just over 11 minutes remaining. The Mallards were methodical on offense, passing the ball around the Decatur defensive end before Karlie Southcomb scored with 6:18 remaining in the first to pull the Mallards closer at 3-2.
After a Decatur goal with just under four minutes remaining in the half, Worcester’s Leigh Lingo scored on a great shot near the crease to cut the lead to one again at 4-2 with 2:46 remaining. However, the Seahawks went on a decisive run near the end of the first half to pull away and gain some separation.
Blair Yesko scored a free position goal with 1:10 remaining to extend the lead to 5-3. Another goal by Lexie VanKirk with 38 seconds left pushed the Decatur back to three goals at 6-3. Payton VanKirk then scored on a nice assist by Yesko with just 18 second remaining in the first to give the Seahawks their largest lead thus far at 7-3 as the first half expired.
Less than a minute into the second half, Lexie VanKirk scored to extend the Seahawk lead to 8-3. Elle Bargar made it 9-3 at the 17:08 mark in the second. Less than a minute later, Yesko found Payton VanKirk with a great assist and VanKirk finished the play to push the lead to 10-3. Decatur had scored six straight through the end of the first and beginning of the second to apparently settle the issue, but there was much lacrosse still to play.
Brennan scored for Worcester with just over 15 minutes remaining to cut the lead to 10-4. Bargar then answered for Decatur less than a minute later. Grace Tunis scored for Worcester with 11 minutes left, but again Decatur had the answer with a goal by Yesko with 9:36 left to extend the lead to 12-5. Worcester scored on a goal by Brennan and a fast-break goal by Tunis to cut the lead to 12-7. Decatur scored with two minutes remaining to extend the lead to 13-7, but Worcester would not go quietly.
Brennan scored with 1:47 left to cut the lead to 13-8 and added another goal just 20 seconds later on a nice assist by Molly Soule to make it 13-9 with 1:28 left. Bargar stopped the late Worcester run with a goal with 52 seconds left to put the Mallards ahead, 14-9. Lingo added a late goal for Worcester with 40 seconds left to close out the game at 14-10.
The win improved Decatur’s record to 10-0 and earned the Seahawks neighborhood bragging rights until the two friendly rivals meet again. More importantly, Decatur inched closer to a perfect regular season and a Bayside South championship. With the loss, the Mallards dropped to 11-2 on the season.