SWAMPSCOTT — Two teams loaded on the offensive end impressed in a 26-goal thriller at Blocksidge Field Tuesday evening. Both the Swampscott and Lynnfield girls lacrosse teams posted double-digit goals, but the Big Blue protected home turf with a 15-11 win.
Swampscott shot out to a quick 4-1 lead, but Lynnfield responded, ending the half on a 4-2 run to trail, 6-5, at halftime.
Big Blue Coach Al Eaton was satisfied with the start.
“I felt like we just kept pushing. I felt like we had the confidence that the offense could get it together,” he said. “We’re a young team that is still trying to build chemistry. The offense can be a very complicated thing, and I just feel they’ll continue to grow and it’ll start to get better.”
Avery Laundry paced the Big Blue with four goals and an assist.
For Lynnfield, the Big Blue struggled to contain one of the top players in the Cape Ann League: Taylor Valiton. She scored six goals for the Pioneers to keep them in the game. Lynnfield Coach Christina Serra praised her senior forward, while Eaton admitted Valiton was a challenge.
“She’s amazing,” Serra said. “She helped us in the draw circle and she’s just perfect in front of the net. We’re really going to miss her next year.”
“They had that one offensive player who kept getting into the eight and she was just so tall,” Eaton said. “It really challenged us and it was a difficult thing to beat.”
The Big Blue scored five goals in the third quarter for an 11-7 lead going into the final 12 minutes. Despite Lynnfield pushing to get back into the game, every time the Pioneers scored, the Big Blue answered.
“It was a little bit frustrating for us. I think our girls played well. We got some unlucky calls, but there’s nothing you can do. You just have to play through it,” Serra said. “We haven’t played Swampscott before – at least, since I’ve been here – and we’re trying to have a harder non-league season and I think they did well.”
In recent years, the Pioneers and Big Blue have been atop their respective conferences. Both coaches knew it would be a tough game.
“It seems to be what our schedule is going to be this year,” Serra said. “We took out some of the easier games and I think our girls have been working hard the last four years and they’ve gotten better each year, so we wanted to give them a more competitive schedule.”
”I thought it was a good matchup,” Eaton said. “We’re trying to work things out, but it was good to get our hearts pumping so they can play at that speed.”
Although Laundry led the Big Blue in scoring, Swampscott spread the wealth as Chloe Puzzo (3 goals, 2 assists), Cecelia Tripp (3 goals, assist), and Bridget Maloney (2 goals, assist) all scored multiple times with Lia Beatrice, Fiona Keaney, and Victoria Pierro scoring one apiece.
“That’s what I love. [Last] Saturday, we spread the scoring out pretty well and that’s always been the goal. It’s all about the team scoring,” Eaton said. “To see them spread out the scoring like this and provide a lot of assists, it’s great to see.”
Eaton also praised his junior shot-stopper, Lilah Caplan, who made 14 saves.
“With that threat, she did a great job of tracking. She made a number of key saves and we’re just really blessed to have somebody of her caliber here,” Eaton said. “She’s only a junior, but when she leaves, there are big shoes to fill.”
Swampscott travels to Saugus at 4:30 p.m. Friday. Lynnfield looks to bounce back the same day in Watertown for a 6:30 p.m. showdown.
