Sports
Chatham Girls Lacrosse Returns to Group Final
Resounding victory over Mahwah propels top-seeded Cougars into title game against Summit.
The Chatham girls lacrosse team continued to climb up the ladder of the state playoffs by dispatching an upstart team in Mahwah on Tuesday.
The top-seeded Cougars scored early and often and took care of the T-Birds, 15-1, in the North Jersey Group 2 semifinals.
Despite defeating the same Mahwah team last season, 14-3 in the state playoffs, Chatham treated the game like any other one as the Cougars raised their record to 18-4.
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"We seriously take it like we are going up against the best team in the state," Chatham junior Kelsey Perselay said. "We don't want the season to end."
The victory enables Chatham to take on one of its top rivals in Summit, the second seed, on Thursday for the North Jersey Group 2 North title in Chatham. The Cougars defeated the Hilltoppers, 8-5, in the 2010 North Jersey Group 2 final. Both were the same seeds last season.
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"It's a huge game," Perselay said about the upcoming battle with Summit. "We have a lot of good friends on their team and it is always a good game between the two of us."
In the victory over Mahwah, Chatham scored early and often and held a 10-1 lead at halftime. The Cougars maintained control of the ball in the second half to not let the T-Birds into the game.
Chatham top scorer, Jaclyn Leto, and Perselay led the way with three goals each. Perselay also added three assists as eight Lady Cougars scored in the lopsided victory.
The various offensive sources were supplemented by Chatham goalie Hannah Reader who made 11 saves and only gave up the one goal by T-Birds Alexa Freguletti.
In addition Mary Kate O'Neill, Kallan Murray and Cat McCutcheon scored a pair of goals each for the Cougars.
For McCutcheon she and the two other seniors Lindsay Ford and GraceAnn Foca are just enjoying the last ride. "We have been focused from day one," said McCutcheon. "I couldn't be happier. We're friends on the field and off the field."
In taking on Summit on Thursday the senior captain said, "We have to get every ground ball and make every shot," said McCutcheon. "We just have to know what we have to do."
For the Lady Cougars they are looking to get back to the State Tournament of Champions where they lost to Oak Knoll last season.
