Blazers tear up Cavaliers

BLAZER STADIUM, APRIL 10-

The varsity girls' lacrosse team took on the Kennedy Cavaliers at home on Thursday, capitalizing on offensive opportunities early in the match to win 21-9. Senior co-captain Helen Anderson, who scored seven goals, led the offensive attack.

Blair wasted no time, as three different players scored against Kennedy in the first few minutes. Several offensive plays were spearheaded by junior Vanessa Hoy and Anderson, who frequently passed to one another.

In one instance, Anderson set up from behind Kennedy's net and made a clear pass to Hoy while avoiding defenders. Hoy received the pass and bounced the ball into the net for a goal. Blair's early domination was evident, as the score was 4-1 after only a few minutes.

Later in the first half, the Blazers' defense was greatly tested, as junior goaltender Kate Luker faced several shots at close distances. Although Kennedy scored five times in the first half, senior co-captain Lizzie Horne and Luker were able to effectively deny various Kennedy attacking situations. Horne was able to force Kennedy's offensive players to the outside, stopping them from scoring. The goals that Kennedy had cashed in on were frequently on passes in the middle of Blair's net.

Throughout the game however, the Lady Blazers controlled the midfield area with precise passing and speed. Anderson's overwhelming speed was accompanied by strong support in senior Julia Mazerov, who scored three times. Blair had already proved their vigor at the end of the half, when the score was 10-5.

The second half established good ball control, where players including junior Susie Branson and seniors Rachita Sood, Priyanka Gokhale and Mazerov pressured the Kennedy defense with numerous shots in close proximity to the goal.

The final score of the game was 21-9, a notable milestone for the Blazers' third game, which brought Blair to a 2-1 record. "I think we all played really well as a team," Horne said. Anderson agreed, "We had played a tough second half in our last game against Springbrook, so we set our goal as showing up strong for the whole game...and we did it."

Now the focus is shifted to the Blazers' next game against Blake, whom they lost to in the quarterfinals of the playoffs in 2007. "I'm excited about the direction we're headed," head coach Michael Horne said. "We have a tough challenge with Blake, who is a skilled team with a lot of depth," he said.

The Blazers' next home game is Saturday, April 12 against Blake at 12 p.m.