MECHANICSBURG — Winning in June has become a rite of passage for the Twin Valley girls lacrosse team.
After reaching the PIAA Class 2A final in each of the past two seasons and the state semifinal three years ago, the Raiders solidified another deep run in the PIAA playoffs with a commanding 15-3 quarterfinal win over Chartiers Valley Saturday at Memorial Park Stadium.
And it seems neither graduation nor summer vacation can shake Twin Valley’s focus, as it pursues a coveted state title.
“This is like a rite of passage,” Raiders coach Courtney Kapaln said. “They (the seniors) graduated today (Saturday morning) and now we have alums on the team. I want them to have fun and be able to enjoy the moment and then be able to have this too.
“They have made up their minds that they want to continue, that they want to play hard. And so if that’s the mentality then we’re in good shape.”
With the win, Twin Valley (20-6), the District 3 champion, advances to the semifinal round where it will play Villa Maria Academy, the District 1 runner-up, on Tuesday at Exeter at 5 p.m. The Raiders fell to the Hurricanes (18-6) 9-8 on March 26.
In the other semifinal on Tuesday, three-time reigning PIAA 2A champion Archbishop Caroll (19-2) will play District 1 champion Bishop Shanahan (17-7) on Tuesday at a time and site to be announced.
“We lost to them (Villa Maria Academy) early in the season but we know who they are,” sophom*ore Ellie Kaplan said. “And I feel like we should have won the first time around. So I feel like we’re ready. We want it. We want (Archbishop) Caroll again (in the final), but we’re not skipping over it (the semifinal).”
Like Courtney Kaplan alluded, Twin Valley’s determined mentality was on full display against the Colts, as the Raiders scored 12 unanswered goals to earn the win after being tied 3-3 at the end of the first quarter.
Senior Amelia Wood, junior Kylie Duke and Ellie Kaplan each scored a game-high three goals. Additionally, senior Anna Givens had a game-high four assists and also scored one goal.
“I’m so excited for our team just because we’ve been working for this for so long,” Duke said. “Last year we made it to the finals and we just want to do the same thing again and finish strong for the season. I think we just came in with a really good attitude and really good energy.
“Our offense was on point because we were all trying to push the transition and really just find the ball on the back of the net.”
The Raiders’ strong transitional play began midway through the first quarter. After taking an opening 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Duke and Ellie Kaplan, Kylie Miller scored twice in quick succession to tie the game 2-2 with 5:57 left in the first.
Responding with vigor, senior Hadley Munn scooped up a loose ball turnover around the draw circle and took the ball down field for an unassisted goal, making it 3-2 with 4:23 left in the opening quarter.
After losing the opening draw of the second quarter, Ellie Kaplan, who finished the game with 13 draw controls, played strong-one-on-one defense against the Chartiers Valley attack, before using a stick check and forcing a turnover to regain possession with 10 minutes left.
From there, Twin Valley worked its counter attack well up field for about two minutes before Kaplan found senior Chelsea Hurley in the middle around the 8-meter arc for a goal.
“I think I’m better on the ball then off the ball; I feel like I’m more locked in,” Ellie Kaplan said. “When I know I have my team behind me I feel like I can be more aggressive because I know they’re going to help me.”
Hurley assisted Givens’ lone goal of the day moments later to give the Raiders a 5-3 lead with 7:18 left.
Twin Valley continued to force turnovers and control possession while establishing a 9-3 halftime lead, as Wood scored all three of her goals with less than five minutes left in the second quarter and Ellie Kaplan scored once from the free position.
“I think we started off a little sloppy,” Ellie Kaplan said. “I know me personally, I was just forcing passes because we were really eager to get goals on the board. But after the first half, I think we kind of figured out what was working and what wasn’t and like getting it around seeing where they were sliding and what plays that we had that would work.”
Duke scored the opening two goals of the second half. In the third quarter, Duke recovered a loose ball and drove almost the length of the field to fire a shot top shelf for an unassisted goal with 3:56 left in the period.
Moments later, Ellie Kaplan won the draw and delivered a deep pass to a wide-open Meadow Mindizak in front of net for an easy goal.
Ellie Kaplan forced another turnover late in third before solid passing led to Ellie Kaplan’s third and final goal of the night, which was assisted by Givens, and gave the Raiders 13-3 lead after three quarters.
Hurley scored an unassisted goal with 6:35 left in the fourth and freshman Taylor Ebert closed out the scoring with 3:43 remaining in the game.
“Our defense is always so good; they’re the best,” Duke said. “They always cause those turnovers and then we finish it on offense. I think it’s really rewarding and we always know that our offense comes from the defense.
“I think we did a really good job just keeping our heads up.”
With redemption in sight for the semifinal round and perhaps the final, the tireless work ethic put on throughout the season is paying off for Twin Valley.
“We’ve been working a lot on moving the goalie,” Courtney Kaplan said. “And the girls have really shown that today and in the last game, so I’m like ‘Guys, it works; it pays off.’ I like when they work on something and they get to apply it and then they feel that feeling so it continues.
“I’m just happy. We’ll see Villa (in the semifinal) so it’s a rematch and we have a little redemption there. We’re ready.”
