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Sports

GV Survives Scare, Heads To District 1 Semis and Cements State Berth

Patriots allowed Boyertown to cut point gap to one before getting 17-15 win in girls lax tourney.

The good news: Great Valley's girls lacrosse team advanced to the District 1 semi-final round Tuesday with a 17-15 heart-pumping win over Boyertown on Saturday night at West Chester East's Zimmerman Stadium.

The bad news: According to their coach, Joe Tornetta, the Patriots were darn lucky to notch the win and cement a top four seed in the PIAA State Tournament, and told them in no uncertain terms afterward.

"Everything," a bristling Tornetta said after meeting with his team for 10 minutes in the middle of the field, "was in the toilet tonight."

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What bothered the GV coach was mistakes, mistakes and more mistakes. And after taking an eight-goal lead in the second half, the defense allowed the Bears to get within one goal before getting some breathing room near the end.

It was evident from the start that Boyertown wasn't playing the same game they did when they lost to the Pats, 15-6, on March 29. They came out firing and led 1-0 and 2-1 before Catherine Shaughnessey's low shot eluded Bears goalie Lindsey Clinton at 17:39 of the first half to give the Pats their first lead, 3-2.

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It lasted about four minutes until Rachel Engler knotted things at 3-3, then teammate Deryn Heidelbaugh put the Berks County team ahead, 4-3, at 13:08. A mere 25 seconds later, Engler scored again, making it 5-3, and Tornetta called for a timeout to address his troops.

Whatever he said worked, as the Patriots proceeded to throw in four straight goals by Ali Karwoski, Emily Scullin, Caitlin Krazter and Scullin again for a 7-5 Pat lead. Robyn Piveteau scored for the Bears (7-6), but tallies from Brooke Gamble (2:34), Scullin (2:25) and Karwoski (1:56) allowed Great Valley to enjoy a 10-6 advantage at the half.

"We played in spurts," Tornetta continued. "The first half, we weren't too bad, but the second half, we were out there with our tongues hanging out. We looked like a team that never played a lacrosse game before."

Ah, the second half. If the Patriots accomplish big things this season, they surely will look back at the quarterfinal match with Boyertown and simple say, "Whew!"

Karwoski scored twice in 17 seconds to start play, Sara McBride hit the back of the net at 22:02, and Gamble underhanded a shot past the goalie at 17:09 to set the Patriots ahead 14-6. It appeared the trip to Tuesday's semis was just a mere formality.

Boyertown had other ideas. The Bears threw in six straight goals—three of them by Kelly Furman—past GV netminder Jenna Morris between 16:05 and 12:52. All of a sudden, it was a two-goal game, 14-12.

Karwoski's seventh goal came at 9:27, making it 15-12, and Rachel Kalick added another at 7:38 to make it 16-12.

The reprieve was brief. Boyertown proceeded to score three straight times down the field with Lauren Mengel picking up a loose ball off a draw, running to goal and scoring at 4:49 to cut the Great Valley lead to 16-15.

The Bears had a chance to tie with under two minutes to play, but missed. Great Valley got possession and worked upfield, getting the ball to Kratzer behind the net, who swung around the front and whipped it in to make it 17-15.

"I watched the tape of the first game we played them and we made the same mistakes tonight that we made then," Tornetta said. "We made more mistakes tonight than we have since the beginning of the season. If we play like this Tuesday, we'll be looking at the losers' bracket."

The game featured 32 goals and 49 shots on goals.

The Pats will face Garnet Valley, a 15-6 winner over Council Rock North in another quarterfinal game Saturday, at West Chester Henderson at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the first game of the semi-finals with Downingtown East and Springfield Delco meeting at 8 p.m. The two winners will meet Thursday night at 8 p.m. for the District title at West Chester East.

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