The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School varsity girls lacrosse team had two big wins and one heartbreaking defeat. Victories against Bishop Stang and Nauset on Thursday and Saturday propelled them to a tough game against mighty Bishop Feehan, which the Vineyard lost Tuesday, 16-7.
It was the second matchup against league powerhouse Bishop Feehan. Having lost to them 23-8 earlier in the season, the Vineyarders knew they had their work cut out for them.
The Vineyard was down 3-0 in the first 10 minutes; senior Aubrey Ashmun kicked off the Vineyard scoring at 13:55. Feehan then came up with two quick goals to go up 5-1, but the last 6 minutes of the half belonged to the Vineyard. Lee Hayman scored on a free position at 6:41, and scored again on a perfect pass from teammate Aubrey Ashmun at 2:47. Freshman Audrey McCarron scored just before halftime on a pass from freshman teammate Lily Pigott, and Belle Dinning followed with a goal on a free position seconds later, to tie the game 5-5. Unfortunately, Feehan was awarded a free position in front of the net with 1 second left on the clock. Somehow the ball made it in before the horn sounded to put Feehan up 6-5 at the half.
The second half was a different story, as Feehan poured it on with quick passes, getting possession of the ball off the center draw after a goal every time. The two Vineyard goals in the half were scored by senior Olivia Ogden, on a great interception and a quick run down the field, and by Belle Dinning, who came up with her second goal on a sweet pass from Aubrey Ashmun. Feehan still continued to score, even though they were up by 7 at the 2:20 and 1:12 mark, and ended the game with a Feehan win of 16-7. Goalie Samantha Hargy made 17 saves in a fantastic effort, her second outstanding game this week.
Last Thursday, May 7, the girls traveled to Bishop Stang, hoping to avenge a close defeat from earlier in the season. The game was close throughout the first half, with the Vineyarders exchanging goals with Stang, leaving a halftime score of 8-8. During the second half, both teams fought hard to secure the win. Despite being one goal down at the 7:50 mark, Vineyard sophomore Erin Hill received the ball off the center draw and scored 10 seconds later to tie the game at 13-13.
Both team had their chances to score in the final minutes of the game, but freshman Lily Pigott scored her fourth goal of the game, with just under 5 minutes left, to put the Vineyard up 14-13.
Goalie Sam Hargy played her best game of the season, coming up with 14 great saves to keep the Vineyarders in the game.
On Saturday, May 9, a strong Nauset team came to town looking for a win, having defeated the Vineyard 14-11 just last week. The game was extremely balanced at the start, but Aubrey Ashmun broke the deadlock, after a perfect pass from teammate Lee Hayman seconds before the halftime horn ended the first half, giving the Vineyarders a 6-5 lead. Nauset stormed back early in the second half, scoring three unanswered goals to put them up 8-6. But junior Lee Hayman and senior Aubrey Ashmun teamed up for three quick goals of their own to reclaim the lead 9-8. Lee, Aubrey, and Emily deBettencourt added three more to increase the Vineyard lead to 12-8. The Vineyard then wisely used everyone on the field to run time off the clock. Nauset came up with the two last goals with 26 seconds and 1 second left on the clock. The final score was 12-10.
The Vineyarders are now 7-5, and travel to Fairhaven Thursday.