RallyNorth.net

Sat, May 31, 2008 11:00 AM @ Neutral Location

Team	Final
Playoff Game Division I - Semifinals
Londonderry	9
Pinkerton	8

Londonderry holds on, earns first-ever trip to state final

Saturday, May, 31 By Peter A. Martin
Staff writer

MANCHESTER, N.H. | Londonderry's girls lacrosse team was up to the challenge yesterday.

Despite two scoring droughts of nearly 15 minutes each, a half-hour thunderstorm delay, and miserable wet and rainy conditions, the Lancers managed to hang on and defeat Pinkerton 9-8 in the Division 1 state semifinals at Manchester Memorial field.

For Londonderry, it will be its first-ever trip to the state final in the 11-year history of the tournament. It will face No. 1 seed Souhegan in the championship game Tuesday at 7 p.m.

"To come out here with a team that starts five sophomores and six juniors, and to get this far, is unbelievable," said Bob Slater, Londonderry's head coach. "They just fought and scrapped and really earned the win."

The Lancers (14-3) and Astros (14-5) spilt their regular season series this year, with both teams winning at home by two goals, so it was predictably a close match.

Less than 10 minutes after the game began, with Pinkerton dominating the play so much that it had not allowed a Londonderry possession, it was halted for a half-hour lightning delay.

"The ironic thing is that last year the same thing happened," said Dana Boyle, a sophomore who was second for Londonderry with 54 goals in the regular season. "I think we learned from last year. We sat in the locker room and we talked about what we needed to do to turn the momentum."

After the delay, Pinkerton got goals from Nicole Curry and Sammi Benson to take command of the game, but then Londonderry began to establish itself.

The teams traded goals to make the score 3-1 in favor of the Astros when Londonderry ripped off four unanswered goals in just under five minutes, including two of Boyle's four tallies.

"It's the young athletes," said Slater. "Sometimes they relax and lose focus if they get up, and you start to focus when you start to get behind."

Pinkerton answered with two scores from Kacie Connal, who had three assists, and Jacki Benson. Those goals tied the game at five when the halftime horn sounded.

The Astros would add another goal seven minutes into the second half to grab a 6-5 lead, but it was immediately answered by Boyle's fourth and final goal.

A goal from each team at the 10-minute mark set the stage for the dramatic conclusion to the match.

A rash of Pinkerton fouls inside the 12-yard area allowed Londonderry's leading scorer Kayla Green five chances to make a rush, finally connecting on the last one to put the Lancers on top for good.

Forty seconds later, Londonderry's only senior, Jenn Borjeson, scored her second goal on a long run down the field to put the Lancers up by two goals with less than three minutes to play.

"Jenn came up with two big goals today in a game she knew could be her last | I think it showed a lot of pride," said Slater.
In the final three minutes, Pinkerton's undisciplined play continued as 12 of the 14 foul calls made went against the Astros, effectively ending any chance at a comeback. Several of those calls were disputed by the Astros.

"I congratulate Londonderry," said Pinkerton head coach Bryon Murphy after the game. "I'm proud of the way my kids played.. They did everything within their means to win the game, (but) there are some things we can't control, and I think its obvious what that was today."

The Lancers' staff felt that there was more to the game than a few calls that might have been missed.

"If it had gone against me, I may have looked at it the same way as Pinkerton, but we got the ball," said Slater. "Refs are human. They make mistakes just like players and coaches. If there is a bad call you have to make up for it on the field ... if everyone does their job, you should be fine."

Controversy aside, Pinkerton is now going home and Londonderry is on to the Division 1 state final. It will be a chance at redemption for the Lancers, who were eliminated in the semifinal round last season by Souhegan. During the regular season, Souhegan defeated the Lancers 10-7.