Sandpoint girls lacrosse battles a pair of Spokane teams
Saylor Bond (left) defends a Mead player during a recent road game for the Bulldogs.
(Courtesy photo)
Karlie Banks brings the ball upfield during a recent road game.
(Courtesy photo)
Chandler Sanborn defends a Mead player during a recent game.
(Courtesy photo)
Kennedy Phillips looks to attack during a recent game against Mead.
(Courtesy photo)
Sarah Casey makes a save during a recent game.
(Courtesy photo)
The Sandpoint girls lacrosse varsity team recently hit the road for a pair of hard-fought games.
On May 20, the club team lost to the Spokane Stealth 8-4. On May 25, the Bulldogs tied with the Mead Big Cats 4-4.
In Sandpoint's game against the Big Cats, the Bulldogs led 3-1 at the half. But Mead came out firing in the second half and found the back of the net twice to tie the game up.
Sandpoint’s Audrey Anderson answered back with a goal off a free position shot. Then Mead’s Hallie Densley tied the game again with a successful drive down the middle.
With five minutes left in the game and the score at 4-4, a rainstorm kicked in and play started getting rough. Players from both teams received yellow cards for major infractions and were taken off the field to serve two-minute penalties.
As the clock ticked down and the ball went from one end of the field to the other, neither team could capitalize on their chances.
The refs called the game at the end of regulation due to rain.
"I’m really proud of how hard our team fought all game," head coach Nancy Dooley. "We will see a lot more wins in our future as our young attack players mature and start to develop a rhythm together. The future is bright for Sandpoint girls lacrosse."
Densley scored all four of the Big Cats' goals. Mia Przybylski tallied a pair of goals for the Bulldogs and Kaylee Banks had one.
Dooley said the Bulldogs played exceptional defense against a strong Mead attack.
"We did a great job of covering their cutting attack players and shutting down their pass play," she said.
Against the Stealth, Cassidy Aitken, Laura Boge, Przybylski and Anderson each scored a goal for the Bulldogs. Dooley said Karlie Banks, Kaylee Banks, Kennedy Phillips, Saylor Bond and Chandler Sanborn all had standout games defensively.
Dooley said the player of the week award goes to goalie Sarah Casey, who saved a season-high 17 shots against the Big Cats and intercepted three passes. Two of Casey’s saves also came on hard to stop penalty shots.
"Sarah has become an amazing force to be reckoned with in the goal," Dooley said. "She is confident, aggressive and a great leader of the defense."
Sandpoint will play its final game of the season at 6:30 p.m. Friday at War Memorial Field.
