FAIRFIELD — Gardiner’s strategy was apparent from the opening draw of Wednesday’s girls lacrosse game at Lawrence. The Tigers took control, and then kept control. For two minutes, Gardiner was content to pass along the perimeter and make rushes to the Bulldogs net, feeling for soft spots in Lawrence’s defense. The Tigers didn’t take a shot until two minutes had elapsed.
Find the good shots, and make them count. That’s what the Tigers tried to do, and it worked, with a 7-4 Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B victory.
“It definitely takes a team effort. We work really hard in practice at making connections, throughout the bus rides, stuff like that. It takes a lot to just settle. It’s what we’ve really been trying to work on this season,” said Gardiner’s Lily Diversi, who scored five goals.
Gardiner improved to 5-4, while Lawrence fell to 2-3.
Diversi gave Gardiner a 1-0 lead at 21:19 of the first half. Thirty-four seconds later, Diversi scored again to make it 2-0. With 16:36 left in the first half, Diversi cut hard to the net, taking a perfect pass from Emma Bourget to push Gardiner’s lead to 3-0.
“We all have amazing passes to each other, and ultimately it leads to a good goal from one of us,” Diversi said.
Gardiner controlled play throughout the first half by displaying that offensive patience. It wasn’t a style of play Lawrence coach Cassandra Poli wanted to play, but she was content to let her team learn from it.
“In the beginning of the game, I don’t mind sitting back and seeing what they’re going to do with it. It gives them a chance to see how they’re going to play,” Poli said.
Ahead 5-1 at the half, during the break the Tigers talked about maintaining momentum, Diversi said. They did that when Diversi scored he fifth goal with 20:53 left to give Gardiner a 6-1 lead.
Down five, the Bulldogs rallied. Ashton Stewart scored on a free shot to cut Gardiner’s lead to 6-2 with 14:56 left. Just over a minute later, Holly Bolduc’s goal made it 6-3. With 5:52 remaining, Kaylyn Borque scored her second goal of the game, with an assist from Sarah Townsend.
“The key to the rally was, ‘We can do it. Come on ladies, we’re not playing how we should be playing.’ That first half, that’s not what they can do. That was very flat. I was happy with the second half. Each game is a learning process,” Poli said.
Bourget scored to regain momentum for Gardiner with 3:44 left in the game.
“It got a little scary. But eventually we fell back on our patience, fundamentals and stick skills,” Diversi said.
Skye Cotnoir made nine saves for Gardiner. Emily Hersey had 13 stops for the Bulldogs.
Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM
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