Spencerport rebounded from an 8-4 early second half deficit to twice tie the game over the final ten minutes before falling short of their first girl’s lacrosse Section V championship as Brighton scored 2:03 into overtime in the Class B title game.
Junior Natalie Choate and freshman Lily DePalma gave the Rangers early 1-0 and 2-1 leads over the first seven minutes before Brighton scored three consecutive goals to take a 4-2 lead.
Spencerport sophomore Paige Pohleven gathered the rebound from a Choate shot, made two dekes and scored at 14:27 and tallied again 82 seconds later off an assist from DePalma to again tie the game 4-4.
The Barons controlled the last five minutes of the first half and tallied three goals over a 77 second span to lead at the half 7-4 and added the first goal of the second half for their largest lead of the game at 8-4.
But the Rangers rallied as Choate scored off of two free-possession calls at 3:50 and 10:47 of the second half to cut the deficit in half.
Pohleven completed her hat trick after a great pass from junior Camryn Sack and Choate tied the game 8-8 with her third goal of the contest off an assist from Pohleven at 13:42.
Spencerport junior goalie Julia Britton made two sensational stops on Brighton attackers over the last ten minutes sandwiching a Brighton goal to hold the deficit to just one and that proved key.
Taking possession after a timeout with 87 seconds remaining in regulation, Sack charged toward the Barons net and bounced the ball in to tie the game 9-9 with 22 seconds remaining.
Spencerport won the overtime draw and held the ball for over one minute without a scoring chance before turning it over where Brighton sophomore Katie Lederman scored her fourth goal of the contest to give the Barons a 10-9 victory.
“These girls have fought from the very beginning; fought a tough schedule, fought in games and fought throughout the season and sacrificed a lot and I wish it was different, but hats off to Brighton,” Spencerport head coach Tricia Condon said.
“We were here two years ago and last year we lost in the semi’s, so being that close and never being able to finish is something we’re going to carry with us and propel us into the future, but it’s hard right now; this one is going to burn for a little while. If you see tears, it’s because they care.”
The Rangers program began 15 years ago in 2003.
Rangers Choate, Pohleven, Britton, DePalma and junior Erin Coykendall were all named to the All-Tournament Team.
