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Giusti's eight lead to Bulldogs' first
VIENNA - Stone Bridge captured its first Liberty District girls' lacrosse tournament crown May 9 with a solid 14-11 victory against W.T. Woodson on the artificial surface at James Madison High School.
The contest was relocated from Langley to Madison after torrential rains the previous night necessitated the use of the Warhawks' artificial turf.
Lauren Giusti filled the net for the Bulldogs, assisting on three goals and throwing in eight of her own, including four before the game was five minutes old. Her total of eight sets a Stone Bridge record for goals in a game.
Liberty District Coach of the Year Kristin Howard spoke of her high-scoring sophomore.
“She's got the gifts to get around you, she's great one-on-one, she's just got great skills to beat you,” said Howard of Giusti, a first-team all-district selection. “She deserves everything she's gotten.”
After the Cavaliers notched the contest's first tally, Giusti reeled off four unanswered goals, employing her favored move of curling around behind the opposing netminder and finding a lane through which to rifle her left-handed shot.
Woodson responded with double- and triple-teams to counteract the speedy attacker, which created opportunities for her teammates.
“I told Amy Rollins that when I roll around the left, they're triple-teaming me, so I want you to come around to the right and pop out. And the next goal, that's exactly what we did,” Giusti said, referring to the Bulldogs' fifth netfinder. “When they triple me, there's always someone to back me up.”
Rollins had three scores on the evening, two assisted by Giusti. Kelley Galownia found the net once, with two helpers. The Pascale sisters, Kristen and Rachael, contributed a goal and an assist apiece. Goalkeeper Michelle Leon deflected away nine Cavalier shots.
Woodson, who like Stone Bridge features four all-Liberty first-teamers, saw a balanced scoring effort led by midfielder Carrie Pritchard's five goals.
“Everyone had to play defense tonight,” Howard said. “We just worked as a team and transitioned back. [The Cavaliers] are a very talented team, and we were just able to stop them tonight.”
Howard is in her first season at the reigns of the Bulldog girls' lacrosse program having never played or coached the sport. She has guided Stone Bridge to an unblemished Liberty District record, with the squad's only loss coming on the road versus Ashburn rival Broad Run by a single goal.
“They knew I didn't have a lacrosse background, but everyone believed in me right away, and I believed in them,” Howard said. “Our communication, our teamwork, it all just came together tonight.”
Giusti, who plays year-round for Capital Lacrosse Club, agreed.
“I feel like we've had the potential. Our coach has really made us believe in ourselves,” she said.
Howard, who places particular emphasis on physical conditioning, was already looking ahead to her team's next task.
“They have played so hard as a team together, and they're improving every day,” she said. “We've still got a far road ahead of us. This is just a step on it.”
The Bulldogs are one of four No. 1 seeds in the Northern Region tournament, which begins this week.
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