New Canaan girls lacrosse, the No. 6 public high school team in the U.S. according to Inside Lacrosse, got all they could handle from Rye on a cold and rainy Thursday afternoon in Connecticut, but a last-second penalty goal by Rams electric senior Emma Row decided the game, 8-7 for New Canaan.
This was Rye’s (3-2) second-straight loss after another last-second nail – and finger – biting 12-11 defeat to Section 1 nemesis Nyack earlier this week. Despite the sting of losing, it’s still plenty early for this Garnet team. It was a week of top-tier competition and one of learning.
“It’s been a week for sure. But I was super proud of our fight and our grit throughout the field in this one,” said Rye coach Michelle Mason. “Our fourth-quarter adjustments gained possessions for our team at just the right time.”
After playing perhaps their best quarter of the season so far, down 7-4 with just over six minutes to go in the game, the Garnets’ face-off team made some crucial adjustments.
Senior Caroline Doyle secured face-off after face-off down the stretch as Rye stormed back into the game. Junior Annie Toulouse, then junior Mia Howson buried two more to bring Rye level at 7-7 with under a minute to play. By just a few ticks of the clock, it wasn’t enough to force overtime.
Columbia University-bound Row was difficult for Rye to contain all game long. Her seven (7) goals in the game against Rye senior goalie Katherine Ebeling may come up next year in NYC. The two will be teammates at Columbia next year.
There were plenty of positives for Mason and her girls to build on.
“Offensively, when we click and move together, it’s unstoppable,” she said. “Our takeaway from this game against an excellent opponent is to find and keep that rhythm when intensity is high.”
The Garnets will travel to Berwyn, Pennsylvania, for their next game Tuesday at Conestoga High School.
