Pinkerton girls lacrosse gets win over Portsmouth (video)

DERRY - Katie Blair knew that Wednesday's game would tell her a lot about her Pinkerton Academy girls lacrosse team.

After the Astros saw six-game winning streak snapped last week, they bounced back with a pair of wins, but with Portsmouth coming to town, there was an opportunity for Pinkerton make a statement.

The Astros did just that, using a 5-0 run that spanned about 12 minutes over the first and second halves to take control of the game, and Pinkerton was able to hold off Portsmouth late for a 9-5 win.

Following a loss to Souhegan last Thursday, Blair knew that this game had to be a big one for the Astros and it was one that, if they were heading in the right direction, they had to win.

"This was huge," the coach said. "We knew we had to get it back. Losses happen, it’s part of life, but it’s how you respond after them and they came out and responded."

Allison Lamphere scored four goals and Caitlin Seleny had two goals and two assists, including the 100th point of her high school career, to lead the Astros (10-2 in Division I, No. 5 in the NHHSSports Coaches Poll) to the win.

"I think it makes us feel good, that we can do this," Seleny said. "We were down after that Souhegan game and it proves that we belong and we know how to fight."

Hailey Schnider also had two goals and Bella Pinardi had one while Hannah Lisauskas had two assists, but it was the defense that carried Pinkerton early on, led by goalie Lauren Sweeney.

"She looked good in warmups and then obviously she had a killer game," Blair said of Sweeney. "Some of them, she’s so aggressive, she just pops out and she has a great eye for the play is going to go. She trusts her skills enough and we trust her to get out and play, get the ball up and going on offense. She is one of a kind and you don’t get many like her."

Sweeney finished with 10 saves, all of which felt like they came in key situations, including three that came on free positions by the Clippers and one late that the senior had to drop to get to that could have given Portsmouth late momentum.

"The goalie was definitely very, very good," Portsmouth coach JoJo Curro said. "I think as a team, we recognized where her strengths were, and where her weaknesses might be, and we did not capitalize on that. We talked about it, but it never fully got on to the field."

Portsmouth (10-2, No. 3) got a goal and an assist from Sally Collins while Avery Ruhnke, Mia Smith, Charlotte Marston and Morgan Ruhnke all had a goal apiece. Arden Griffin finished with six saves for the Clippers, who were held 10 goals below their season average.

"There are moments where we played Portsmouth lacrosse, but it took us a bit to get there," Curro said. "It took us probably the longest its taken us all season, so we got ourselves caught in a game of chase. We were never quite able to get the momentum going and keep going."

The team went back and forth early, trading goals until it was 2-2 with 12:53 left in the first half. Portsmouth took a 3-2 lead on a goal by Collin with 4:57 to go until halftime, but they would go scoreless for almost 20 minutes after that.

Portsmouth's Annie Parker drew a yellow card with 1:47 left in the half and Lamphere scored 10 seconds after that to tie the game at 3. Pinkerton won the draw and Lamphere scored again just 18 seconds later and stayed 4-3 Astros into halftime.

Schnider and Pinardi scored less than two minutes apart early in the second half to make it 6-3 and Lamphere added another goal with 14:53 left to play to give the Astros a four-goal lead.

"I think it’s because we have patience," Seleny said. "That makes a big difference, not forcing it and settling it down, getting it around and working into our plays. We have a good offensive team and if we play as a team, we can do anything."

Portsmouth won the draw after Lamphere's goal, and while the Clippers' ride was able to keep the ball in Pinkerton's end, they were still struggling to score. Avery Ruhnke finally broke through with 10:15 remaining to make it 7-4, and Seleny and Marston traded goals 32 seconds apart to make it 8-5.

The Clippers got possession after Marston's tally, but again couldn't capitalize, as Sweeney came up with a big save and started a breakout in the other direction that ended with a goal by Schnider to make it 9-5 and put the game away.