Source: Hometown Life

Author: Dan O'Meara

It was either teams’ game to win at halftime Wednesday with Farmington Hills Mercy holding an 8-7 lead in a Division 2 girls regional lacrosse semifinal.

That changed at the start of the second half as the Marlins scored six unanswered goals in the first eight minutes and sank any hope Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard had of winning.

Mercy doubled its lead and, though the Fighting Irish eventually came around offensively, won going away at Farmington High School, 19-14.

“The girls were very motivated to show Gabriel Richard how Mercy can play,” coach Lindsay Hoyt said. “We haven’t always shown it this year. We’ve had a good season, but we’ve had little drop offs here and there with our overall play.

“This is the time to really step it up. We made it to the state semifinals last year, and our goal is to make it at least that far again this year.

“We were looking not only to get past Gabriel Richard today, but we really want to play on Friday.”

The Marlins (9-6) will do that when they meet Walled Lake Northern for the regional tournament championship at 5 p.m. Friday.

Mercy defeated the Knights, who were 14-11 winners over Livonia Ladywood in the other semifinal game Wednesday, in last year’s regional semis, 17-9.

“Every team changes each year,” Hoyt said. “You have talent come, talent go. We want to win the region again, so we have to come out playing as if they’re the best in the state right now.

“They have a good goalie. We’re going to have to work on our power and shot accuracy in the next practice to prepare ourselves.”

Mercy junior Evie Drukker scored five of her game-high seven goals in the second half Wednesday.

Seniors Lilly Blake and Katie Koenigsknecht and Drukker had two apiece during the six-goal run, and the Marlins had a 9-1 advantage in shots on goal to start the second half.

Blake finished with five goals and was instrumental in getting the Marlins started offensively in the first half.

She also won a majority of the draws, especially during the second-half surge, to keep the ball in Mercy’s possession.

“She’s just a consistent player,” Hoyt said. “Her ability to work the draw – her speed, accuracy and power give us a big advantage when she’s on the field.

“Evie Drukker has the stick skills to switch back and forth and get into the net. With those two out there, if they’re playing their game, we’re doing quite well.”

The Fighting Irish (14-4) never got closer than five goals in the second half. Junior Amelia Bartels, who was a replacement goalie, made several big saves with Mercy leading 16-11.

Shortly after that, Drukker scored her last two goals, and junior Natalie Masopust netted her second of the game for a 19-11 tally.

“Amelia has been our backup goalie, but she’s really a defender,” Hoyt said. “She hasn’t had a lot of game time as a goalie, so we appreciate her stepping up and playing big for the team tonight.”

Mercy had an inauspicious start to the game as Richard’s Grace Tenbusch and Lauren Layden ran down the field and scored two quick goals.

Mercy scored the next three, including two by Blake, and it was an even ballgame through halftime.

“The girls stepped it up,” Hoyt said. “We started doing our passing game. The defense started talking a little more, and we were able to bring the score into our favor.

“I knew, if we fell into what we needed to do and our routine, if we kept it positive, we would come out playing our game and we would win.”

Layden scored four of her team-best five goals in the first half. Koenigsknecht also had two goals for the Marlins, who outshot the Irish, 35-26.

Mercy junior Erin Gormley and sophomores Grace Canty and Catie Coffman netted one goal apiece.