Martha’s Vineyard LAX girls pass first playoff test, lose second

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Alayna Hutchinson leads a Vineyard rush on goal. — Photo by Ralph Stewart

Seeded 15th, the Martha’s Vineyard girls’ lacrosse team hosted the Green Wave of Abington, seeded 20 in the MIAA Division 2 preliminary round, Friday. The Island girls ran off with a 20-8 win, then lost to the Hillers of Hopkinton 17-7.

Scoring for the Vineyard were Madison Hughes with 5 goals and 4 assists; Molly Fischer — 4 goals and 3 assists; Alayna Hutchinson — 3 goals and 4 assists; Taylor Poggi — three goals and 2 assists; Isabel Smith — 2 goals; and Niki Alexander — 1 goal, 1 assist. Cat Todd and Ana Irwin each scored once.

Poggi scored before the game was a minute old. The Vineyarders never lost the lead.

Goal tender April Hargy was stingy in goal, allowing only five goals while blocking 12 on-target shots.

The win gave the Island girls the honorable but difficult task of playing the second-seeded Hillers of Hopkinton, Tuesday, at Hopkinton, where they lost to the team that MV Coach Betsy Dripps expects to win the Division 2 title, 17-7.

The Hillers scored the game’s first four goals in the first three minutes and led at the half, 12-3.

Madison Hughes had three goals and as many assists to lead Vineyard scorers. Also posting points were Alayna Hutchinson, Molly Fischer, Isabel Smith, and Alexandra Mark.

Three Vineyard girls were in the top tier of scorers in Massachusetts: Madison Hughes with 95, Molly Fischer with 92, and Alayna Hutchinson also with 92.

The MV team will lose only three players at graduation and surely will be a powerful contender next year.

Coach Dripps expressed deep gratitude for the help of assistant coach Kurstin Meehan.