By Chris Goldberg
TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 5/26/13
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Olivia Mikkelsen scored the game-winner with 30 seconds to play and Heather Leigh Albert Award winner Kelly Myers had three goals as DC Metro 1 edged Long Island Metro 1, 8-7, today to win the Onondaga (top division) championship at the US Lacrosse National Tournament at Lehigh University.
DC Metro rallied from a 7-5 second-half deficit and tied the game when Myers (Georgetown Visitation, D.C.) tallied her final goal with 3:28 to play. Mikkelsen (St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes, VA) won it after receiving the ball in tight.
DC Metro was coached by legendary St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes (Va.) mentor Kathy Jenkins, who said she has been coaching at the National Tournament since the 1980s.
“It’s my favorite tournament,” said Jenkins, who has over 600 career wins at the Virginia power. “You get girls that never played together and you have to get them to work together.
“We were coaching kids that we haven’t coached before, except my few (St. Stephen’s) girls. They were coachable and a great group of girls that wanted to get better and be successful.”
Li Metro 1 raced out to a 3-0 lead on goals by Monika Sivilli (John Glenn), Nikki Ortega (Middle Country) and Shelby Fredericks (Babylon High; two goals, two assists). But Myers countered with a free position and Maggie Jackson scored to make it 3-2.
The speedy Kylie Ohlmiller (Islip, thee goals) tallied twice before halftime for Long Island, but Ellie Majure (St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes) also scored twice to draw DC Metro within 5-4 at halftime.
Myers tied it to open the second half, but another speedster, Fredericks, made it 6-5 and Ohlmiller scored again to give Long Island a 7-5 lead.
Meanwhile, DC’s second goalie, Gussie Johns (St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes, five saves) was brilliant in the cage after taking over for Olivia Cole (Bishop Ireton, Va; three saves). Long Island’s second goalie, Samantha Giacolone (Eastport-South Manor) also was a standout with eight saves after replacing Charlotte Campbell (St. Anthony’s, two saves).
Johns also stymied Ohlmiller on a key free position shot that went wide with five minutes to play.
“They’re so explosive and so fast,” said Jenkins of the Long Island offense. “New York is fabulous and I was trying to get our girls to settle down and be defensive minded by getting their sticks in the passing lanes.
“We had to deny them. They cut us off with picks. On offense had t settle down. We were forcing it. We wanted to take the time to place it.
The game-tying goal by Myers came as DC Metro killed off a man-down situation.
“Coach was yelling, ‘Man down, we’re a man down,'” said Myers. “We were holding the ball and holding the ball and did a good job slowing down the ball and running out the time.
“Finally we had an open shot and we took it and finished it.”
Sunday’s Division championships
Onondaga
DC Metro 1 8, Long Island Metro 1 7
Seneca
LI Metro 3 d. Lower New England 3, 11-7
Oneida
NH/VT 1 d. Colorado 1, 12-11
Tuscarora
North Carolina 1 d. Lower New England 5, 9-8
Mohawk
Washington State d. NH/VT 2, 9-6
Cayuga
Southern Ohio d. Central PA, 10-9 (OT)
Iroquois
Georgia 2 d. Colorado 2, 13-4
Girls Championship team (Valerie Walchak Trophy)
Year Team
1994 Philadelphia 1
1995 South 1
1996 South 1
1997 Chesapeake 1 & South 1 (shared)
1998 Chesapeake 1
1999 Chesapeake 2
2000 Upper Atlantic 3
2001 Middle Atlantic 1
2002 Middle Atlantic 1
2003 Middle Atlantic 1
2004 Middle Atlantic 1
2005 Middle Atlantic 1
2006 New York 1
2007 Middle Atlantic 1
2008 Middle Atlantic 1
2009 Philly 1
2010 Long Island 1
2011 Baltimore Metro 1
2012 Lower New England 1
2013 DC Metro 1
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