Mount Greylock Girls Pull Away from West Springfield
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- Little things led to a big run and a big win for the Mount Greylock girls lacrosse team on Saturday.
The Mounties broke open a close game with a 7-0 run midway through the second half en route to a 19-15 win over West Springfield on John T. Allen Field.
Caroline Flynn and Emma Polumbo each scored six goals for the Mounties, who trailed, 13-11, with 17 minutes, 29 seconds on the clock after Danielle Trudeau scored on a free position for her fifth goal of the game.
But the Mounties won the ensuing draw and three more in a row that followed, cashing in on the subsequent possessions to turn the tide of the game.
Sarah Stripp (five goals, two assists) tied it with 15:31 on the clock with an assist from Clare Sheedy, and Polumbo put the Mounties on top for good moments later.
“At half-time, we talked about … the simple things,” Mount Greylock coach Lindsey von Holtz said. “They were killing us on draws. They were killing us on ground balls. So we had to start stepping up and fighting to get those.
“And we needed to stay on our marks a little more. They were dropping the ball on passes, so if we marked up more, then we could get those ground balls.
“This is a game of possession.”
For Mount Greylock, it also has been a game of musical chairs this spring as the Mounties have dealt with a rash of injuries and, this weekend, illness.
On Saturday, von Holtz had two new players on defense, including, Talia Cappadona, one of three eighth-graders on the field for the Mounties.
On the plus side, the Mounties welcomed back Polumbo, who came off the bench to see her first action since being hurt four games ago against Mount Anthony.
“It was good to get Emma back, and Caroline Hadley came back today,” von Holtz said. “They both didn’t play their normal position, because we were worried about reinjuring them.
“They both didn’t play as much as they usually do, though it’s hard to slow Emma down even when you tell her to slow down. Honestly, when she went in, the game changed quite a bit -- one, because she wanted her 200th career point and also because they weren’t expecting her. She’s fast, even with a sore ankle. She’s obviously a skilled player.”
Polumbo earned that 200th career point when she scored midway through the first half to get Mount Greylock within one goal at 5-4. West Side (3-8) led most of the first half but never was up by more than two goals.
The Mounties got goals from Flynn and Sheedy in the last two minutes of the first half to make it an 8-8 game at half-time.
But the Terriers scored the first three goals of the second half to take their biggest lead of the game when Erin Gladu (six goals) scored to make it 11-8.
The Mounties scored three straight to tie, but West Springfield scored two in a row to get the 13-11 lead before Flynn ignited the decisive run.
In that run, Autumn Delorey (seven saves) stopped a free position shot to preserve a 16-13 lead with 7:24 on the clock. Flynn and Sheedy scored the next two to give Mount Greylock its biggest lead, 18-13.
The Mounties (8-3) now face arguably their biggest test of the season: Tuesday evening’s rematch at Wahconah, which handed Mount Greylock an 11-5 setback on May 1.
Von Holtz said Saturday’s win helps give the Mounties more confidence going into that contest.
“West Side is a good team, and I thought we matched up very well,” von Holtz said. “It was a tie game most of the way. I like that the only time we went up was at the end.
“Definitely a team like West Side, a team like East Longmeadow -- they get you ready for Wahconah. We are definitely excited that we finished this second half so strong going into Tuesday’s game.”