RallyNorth.net

North Andover Scarlet Knights Girls Lacrosse '08

Promising Knights junior got off to blistering start but can now only sit and wait

  • Currently 0.0 with 0 votes.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Injured North Andover lacrosse star Briana Connolly probably won't be back for another 2-3 weeks. The junior scored five goals in the opener but then suffered a high ankle sprain. » Carl Russo, Staff Photographer

Friday, April, 18 By Peter A. Martin
Staff writer

Two days after scoring five goals in the season opener, Briana Connolly tripped over a teammate's foot in practice, rolling her ankle.

"I just laid there for a second, thinking I'd be able to shake it off," said Connolly, one of North Andover's scoring leaders. "When I tried to move my ankle, I started to get very worried that I might be out for a while."

A trip to the doctor revealed that her worries were well founded | she was diagnosed with a high ankle sprain.

In most cases, a cast, or walking boot is required for up to six weeks. For Connolly, it has meant a boot and crutches for two weeks, with the prospect of at least two more before she can even begin to practice again. She hopes to return in early May.

"Being a junior, this is a big year for me as far as getting into college goes," said Connolly, who is no relation to North Andover's record-breaking Connolly brothers. "This is really setting me back."

The first setback came when her injury forced her to miss the tryouts for Lower New Englands, a national tournament which is a recruiting tool for college coaches.

Prior to her injury, Connolly was hearing from a lot of schools.

"She is such a hard worker," Said North Andover head coach Karen Lahey. "I think she could scrape a Division 1 scholarship if she keeps working hard."

Lahey knows what she is talking about, last year North Andover graduated one of the top lacrosse players in the nation, Katy Fitzgerald. She is now a reserve defender/midfielder at ninth-ranked North Carolina.

In her first two years with the program, Connolly was one of its success stories. After two weeks with the freshman team, she was called up to the varsity, scoring 10 goals. As a sophomore, she scored 32 g oals with 17 assists, earning Cape Ann League All-Star honors.

But Connolly was not satisfied.

"I knew this would be a big year, and a lot of college coaches look at the juniors," said Connolly. "I knew going in, this was my year."

She worked tirelessly in the summer on stick skills and enlisted the services of a personal trainer to improve her speed. She traveled with her club team to tourneys in New Jersey and Maryland.

When North Andover, which was ranked 14th in Eastern Mass. in the preseason, opened its season at Hamilton-Wenham with a 10-6 win, she scored half of her team's goals. But then came the injury.

"That's been the biggest disappointment," said Lahey. "She worked so hard in the offseason and I was excited as a coach to see how much she improved. Now this whole season has been put on hold for her."

Although the deep North Andover squad has managed to continue winning in her absence, the Scarlet Knights are now 5-0, it is still hard for her to not be a part of the action. Especially having to miss upcoming big games against Andover and Billerica.

"It is incredibly frustrating to have to watch from the sidelines," said Connolly. "I'd much rather be playing. I have never had to deal with something like this before. Lacrosse is my passion, I don't like to be on the sidelines."

0 Story Comments