Westford Academy Girls’ Lacrosse (WAGL) dominated in their first Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) playoff game of the season, making a statement 20-2 win against Framingham High School on Tuesday, May 26. Fueled by quick offensive strikes and an impassable defense, the Ghosts first victory suggests a strong postseason performance for this year’s team.
The Ghosts have proven to be a powerhouse on the field during their regular season games entering the postseason as the 4th ranked team in the MIAA Division 1 category, while Framingham is seeded at the 29th spot. With a season record of 14-4, WAGL secured a spot in the playoff games without competing in the preliminary rounds, a feat they have perfected as past seasons have had the same trajectory.
“[Our team has done] well on pushing the pace and controlling the tempo on all parts of the field,” sophomore Grace Trahan said. “We’ve been able to score a lot [throughout the season] and get turnovers in transitions, which has helped build a [team] lead from the very start.”
The Ghosts quickly gained possession of the ball when junior captain Kiley Carmichael won the starting draw of the game. This momentum carried throughout the first minute of the game as both teams charged toward Framingham’s side of the field and a foul was made by a Framingham player. Seconds after successfully sinking in their first goal from an 8-meter penalty shot, Trahan kept the momentum going by scoring the second goal of the game.
After winning the draw following the second goal, Framingham’s offensive players upped the ante by maneuvering around WA’s defense and scoring their first goal of the game. However, this did not seem to faze the Ghosts as they were able to quickly create a string of offensive plays that granted them five points, making the score 7-1 by the end of the first quarter.
At the commencement of the second quarter, the Ghosts proved their vitality when senior captain Evelyn Weber evaded Framingham defenders and scored two consecutive goals. Soon after Weber secured these goals, Framingham was able to rack up their second and final goal of the game.
“We did a great job of playing as a team and staying focused the whole game,” Weber said. “Our defense played a strong game and we moved the ball well on offense.”
Undaunted by Framingham’s offense, WAGL moved the ball downfield and passed around the net. After maintaining control, the Ghosts were able to score six goals with key assists from Carmichael to Trahan and Weber, securing a score of 15-2 at the end of the second quarter.
After halftime, Framingham sprung the field with renewed energy and an evident change in strategy. Although junior Zoe Rose and Weber were able to make two goals within the first minute of the third quarter, Framingham applied a defensive strategy that was not seen in the first half. Instead of taking time to navigate WAGL’s tight defense and ultimately failing to do so, Framingham shifted their focus to becoming that impenetrable force.
“I hope that we can improve on [not] getting in our [own] heads, keeping focus, and continuing to play our best no matter what happens,” Carmichael said. “I think it’s important to dominate on the little things since that can make or break a game.”
Although attempting to secure an even larger lead, the Ghosts were unable to make much of an impact after continuous saves from Framingham’s goalie. In a final attempt to score, Carmichael was able to bypass Framingham’s defensive mechanisms and score one of the three goals made during the third quarter, leading to an anchored lead of 18-2.
In a final effort to intercept any other goals WAGL attempted to make, Framingham’s goalie utilized the same power used in the third quarter to block WA from scoring. The Ghosts paralleled Framingham in tactical strategy and showed a similar desire to prohibit Framingham from gaining any more points even with their 16 point lead.
With seconds left in the game, Weber recognized a lapse in Framingham’s defense and took it as an opportunity to secure two goals for the Ghosts, ending the game with a dominant lead of 20-2.
“I am so excited about [the outcome of] today’s game, it’s the first round of the playoffs and it’s senior day,” head coach Julie Olivier said. “We have six seniors who have given their time and energy to the team and it has been a wonderful day.”
With more rounds of the MIAA tournament to come, WAGL hopes to maintain their undeniable dominance and power on the field in preparation for tougher opponents in upcoming postseason games.
“We hope to continue being dominant on the draw to maintain possession and force our opponents to take low angle shots on the defensive end,” Trahan said. “We are also working to carry the energy from our last game into the rest of our run in the playoffs.”
WAGL will partake in Round 8 of the MIAA tournament for their next game on Tuesday, June 2 at home against Franklin High School at 4 p.m.
