Girls lacrosse: Zola nets seven as Marin Academy holds off Tam to remain undefeated
The Marin Academy High girls lacrosse team is set to face some tough challenges as it takes a big step up to Division I this season.
“Beating Tam was our number one goal,” said Marin Academy co-captain Cece Dickinson, who scored twice and had an assist Wednesday as the Wildcats scratched out a 10-8 win over Tam, the defending North Coast Section D-II champions. “We’ll focus on one goal at a time.”
Marin Academy scored three goals in a row in the fourth quarter to quiet Tam’s rally in a pressure-filled matchup. Tam (2-3) took its first lead of the game, 7-6, midway through the fourth quarter on Graciela Hale’s shot to the bottom right corner of the net.
The Wildcats’ Steph Zola made sure the Hawks’ lead didn’t stand for long, as she scored the equalizer less than a minute later. Sadie Goodenough scored the game-winner in quick succession on a man advantage.
Marin Academy head coach Cori Conner pulled goalie Harper Potts briefly for an extra attacker, which set up Zola for another goal to give the Wildcats a 9-7 lead with 81 seconds left to play.
Tam’s Rowie Scobie scored her second goal of the game with a lightning shot from the right side of the net to make it a one-goal game with 1:04 to play. But Zola’s seventh goal of the game, an empty-netter in the final 30 seconds, locked up the win for the Wildcats.
“This game was a big test to show us that we’re stacking up pretty strongly for NCS,” Conner said. “We’re anticipating we can definitely be at the top come the end of the season.”
Close finishes are nothing new in the continuing rivalry between these two powerhouse teams. Tam beat Marin Academy, 11-10, in a regular-season game last season.
The Wildcats nearly earned a rematch with Tam in the NCS D-II championships last season, but lost to third-seeded Campolindo, 7-6, in the semifinals. Marin Academy graduated four seniors from last year’s roster, but brought back a young, seasoned core. Whatever Marin Academy might lack in age this season, the Wildcats have more than made up for with talent and desire while rolling to a 4-0 start this season.
“We’re a young team, but we’re focused on building chemistry and getting better,” Marin Academy defenseman Kirsten Wang said.
Zola scored twice in the first quarter, with Dickinson adding a goal, as the Wildcats burst out to a 3-0 lead. Meanwhile, Potts fended off five shots from the Red-tailed Hawks, who kept her busy throughout the day.
“Credit to Harper,” Conner said of her junior netminder. “She stood on her head in the first half to make some big saves.”
Tam started to rebound in the second quarter, with goals from Carson Cann and Ellie McEvilley, before Zola put the ball in the net again with less than a minute left in the first half. The teams went into the break with Marin Academy leading 4-2.
Following a goal by Tam’s Hale to start the third quarter, a determined Scobie swept the ball toward the net for the tying goal as she was falling. Dickinson and Zola answered with a pair of quick goals before Cann netted her second goal to tighten the score to 6-5.
Tam started the final quarter trying to catch fire. Quinlin Dayton nearly scored the tying goal, but it was waved off for a Marin Academy penalty. She came right back, though, powering the direct shot into the net to even the score. From then on, it was a battle that wouldn’t be decided until the final seconds.
“We knew going in this was definitely going to be our toughest game of the season so far,” Conner said. “This was a great matchup. It came down to hunger … to who wanted the ball more.”
The teams were even on draws, with Scobie and Goodenough matched at four wins each.
“Elsa Anderson, Steph, Sadie and Cece, they were all killing it on the draws,” Conner said. “They showed so much hustle and determination to win this game.”