Wahconah and Mount Greylock Battle to Tie

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- Wahconah's girls lacrosse team rallied from a two-goal deficit with eight minutes left to take a lead over Mount Greylock with 32 seconds left on Friday evening.

The Mounties rallied right back to earn a 10-10 tie.

"Frustrating and exciting at the same time," Mount Greylock coach Lindsey von Holtz said. "Frustrating in that we know we were ahead and had we maintained possession of the ball better and been smarter, we wouldn't have been in that position.

"But exciting that you can be down by one with 30 seconds left and still come back."

The Mounties took their last laed midway through the second half when Maggie Rorke scored on a free position to break a 7-7 tie.

A few minutes later, Julia Whitney scored to make it 9-7, Mount Greylock.

But Wahconah battled back.

First, Perin Genaway converted a pass from Shaina Farrell to get their team within one. Then with 5 minutes, 13 seconds left, Morgan Francese made a strong run up the middle from midfield and dished to Paige Chiaretta at the doorstep, Chiaretta converted for her fourth goal of the game to make it 9-9.

With about 1:30 left, Emmy Cote forced a turnover in the middle of the field for Wahconah, and the visitors got the ball into the attacking zone and held for what they hoped would be the winning goal.

"I told them to take their time," Wahconah coach Kathy Budaj said. "When we get down under two minutes and we're tied or close, be smart, go for the slam dunk. Don't have the 3-pointer mentality. And that's what they did."

Genaway set up Francese for the dunk with 32 seconds left.

Mount Greylock (2-0-1) got the equalizer with 7.5 seconds left when Lucy Barrett scored her second of the game out of a scramble in front of the Wahconah goal.

"Maggie Rorke came in huge with getting that draw to get it down there," von Holtz said. "Sarah [Stripp] and Lucy were fighting to get the final shot.

"We knew this would be a close game. It is every time we play them. It doesn't matter who shows up. It could be in the middle of break with each of us missing eight people. It still is a close game and an exciting game, which makes it fun."

The Mounties nearly pulled out the win at the buzzer, but the referees ruled a last shot that found its way into the goal came after the buzzer.

Rorke scored three goals and Stripp had two for the Mounties, who got seven saves from Sam McWhinnie and Paige Willis.

Wahconah (1-0-1), a cooperative team with McCann Tech, got two goals from Jordan Budaj and Franchese and a goal apiece from Alex Wood and Genaway.

Kathy Budaj agreed with von Holtz about the excitement of the Wahconah-Greylock rivalry.

"What a great game," she said. "I knew they were going to be tough. We got unlucky that that ball rolled in. But it is what it is.

"We play them two more times, and I'm looking forward to it."

Wahconah's next game is Monday afternoon at home against Hoosac Valley.

Mount Greylock travels to Lee on Monday.