Girl’s lacrosse has had its ups and downs over the past couple of weeks, going 3-5 after seeing a four-game win streak come to an end, but the Pirates got back into the win column Wednesday with a 20-5 victory over Pennsauken.
“I knew going into this we had to come out with a win,” head coach Laura Curran said. “The last two games (Delran and Northern Burlington losses) were disappointing. They played really well. We just couldn’t come out with a win.”
The Pirates are now 8-6 overall and 6-6 in the BCSL.
“To have a real comfortable lead going into halftime and finishing out the second half just gives them that extra confidence that the season’s not over,” Curran said. “Every minute, every goal counts. They did a real nice job today.”
Cinnaminson jumped out to a 5-0 lead before the Indians got on the board. The Pirates then made it a 6-2 game before Pennsauken scored two in a row to pull within 6-4.
“Midway in the first half we were only up by two and I told them it’s unacceptable that we come that close again,” Curran said. “We have to come out with a win and beat them by what the goal differential says we should and it has to be a win.”
That would be as close as Pennsauken would come to tying the game as the Pirates scored the next seven goals before the half to take a 13-4 lead at the break.
The Indians picked up one final goal in the second half as the Pirates scored seven more times to hit the 20-goal mark for the first time this season.
The win was the 50th of Curran’s career as head coach of the program for which she played.
“Defense has been one of the harder things to improve this year because we lost so many defenders last year,” Lexi Colella (two goals) said.
“A lot of young girls had to step up. One of the key things we had to work on was sprinting back to defense because fast breaks are one of our biggest weaknesses. Other than that, our defense has been great.”
The second half saw Coach Curran rest a handful of her starters.
“It’s important. I always have to, at this time of the year, think about next year too,” Curran said. “I have to give those girls the chance to get in the varsity game. I have to give them the confidence that they can run with the varsity and make them feel comfortable.”
Julia Averill led the way for the Pirates with seven goals. Casey Joyce netted three as four other players scored twice and two other players scored once in the win.
“We have our motion. If you’re open you get to the middle,” Averill said. “If you get to the middle then you’ll get the ball. Anyone’s capable of scoring so if you’re open in the middle and you get the ball, you’re gonna score.”
With just four games remaining in the regular season, and all four of them coming prior to the cutoff date, the Pirates playoff fate is in their own hands.
Remaining games include Rancocas Valley, Hamilton West, Maple Shade and Mainland.
“When we come out with fire and confidence against any team we do well,” Colella said. “That’s what we said today. We have to come out as hard as we did the last game.”
Cinnaminson turns right around to play Thursday at Rancocas Valley at 3:45pm. The Red Devils picked up a 19-4 win over the Pirates in the first meeting between the teams this season.
“Leaving nothing in our tanks. It’s our thing now,” Averill said of the team’s rallying cry. “We say leave nothing. Leave everything you have on the field when you come off because you never know when it ends.”
CHS Goals:
Julia Averill – 7
Casey Joyce – 3
Carolina Bailey – 2
Katie O’Connor – 2
Jenna Mullin – 2
Lexi Colella – 2
Shannon Hossler – 1
Alexa Parrish – 1
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