The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) varsity girls lacrosse team, led by Addy Hayman’s seven goals, tuned up the Nauset Regional High School Warriors in a 15-4 win at Dan McCarthy Field on Saturday afternoon.
Though the start of the game was delayed 30 minutes due to continuing SSA ferry woes, this one was never in doubt as the undermanned Vineyarders, with only one sub available, raced out to a 5-0 lead in less than eight minutes before the Warriors got on the board.
The Vineyarders, now 3-1 on the season, held a 9-3 advantage at halftime, then scored six times in the second half for the final tally. Skyla Harthcock, Louise McDonald, and Alexis Condon each had two goals. Hard workers Lily Pigott and Audrey McCarron had a goal apiece.
After a season-opening 14-4 loss to Bishop Feehan in Eastern Athletic Conference play, the Vineyarder offense has exploded for 51 goals in three games, beating Coyle and Cassidy 20-2 and Barnstable 16-8 before Saturday’s 15-4 win.
The reasons why were easy to see on Saturday. The Vineyarders are blessed with well-conditioned athletes up and down the lineup, and have a special goaltender in Evanna Quinn, who made some sparklers on Saturday, showing heady play and intercepting two Warrior centering passes to set up fast offensive transitions.
This team works hard, winning faceoffs and ground balls, marking and back-checking, keys to slowing offenses. Their early hard-charging pace of play made this observer wonder if they could maintain playing against a high-scoring team with 10 fresh subs, led by star players Madison Taylor and Allyson Taylor.
But the Vineyarders continued to run at high RPMs until the end, fueled by the efforts of two-way players, including Sophie Combra and Sally Caron. Talent and hard work are the keys to a tournament team, and the Vineyarders have both.
The Vineyarders head to Bishop Stang on Tuesday, April 24, for their next game.
