Cote Leads Wahconah in Back-and-Forth Quarter-Final

DALTON, Mass. -- Emmy Cote scored five goals Friday to lead the Wahconah girls lacrosse team to its second Central/Western Massachusetts Division 2 tournament win in as many days, a 10-9 win over Lunenburg to send Wahconah into next week’s sectional semi-finals.

 

McKenna McIlquham scored three times, and Katie Bachli made eight saves for Wahconah (15-5).

 

“The atmosphere of this game was electric,” Wahconah coach Kathy Budaj said. “I am so happy for the girls that they have stepped up in the tournament and stayed strong. They sure have been working hard all season and tonight they did not want the season to end.”

 

Cote scored on a free position with just less than 12 minutes left to go in regulation to give Wahconah the lead for good at 9-8, and McIlquham scored five minutes for a much needed cushion.

 

Lunenburg struck back 13 seconds after McIlquham completed her hat trick to get within a goal with 6 minutes, 21 seconds on the clock. But Wahconah’s defense made the one-goal advantage stand up.

 

Jordan Budaj had a goal and an assist, and Jordan Peck scored a goal in the win.

 

Fourth-seeded Wahconah moves on to Tuesday’s Central/Western Mass semi-final at top-seeded Groton-Dunstable (15-4).