Rain can't slow down Pinkerton girls lacrosse in win over Souhegan (video)

DERRY - The Pinkerton Academy girls lacrosse team has spent the season trying to focus on the things it can control.

The second half of Wednesday's game against Souhegan might have been the best chance for the Astros to put that to the test.

Facing torrential rain and strong winds throughout the half, Pinkerton controlled play for the final 25 minutes, turning a one-goal game into a 16-7 victory over the Sabers in a Division I game.

Hailey Schnider led the Astros (12-5, No. 8 in the NHHSSports Coaches Poll) with five goals and two assists, including a personal 3-0 run in the second half that helped Pinkerton take over the game. Hannah Lisauskas added four goals and two assists and Bella Pinardi had three goals and three assists for the Astros.

And after Souhegan (7-8, No. 7) won nine of the 12 draws in the first half, Pinkerton dominated the draw in the second half.

"Control what we can control and take it in five-minute increments," Pinkerton coach Katie Bourque said. "Keep doing what we’re doing, step in and seal and hope we get it in our possession. If we have the ball, they don’t. That’s the key to the game.

"This was a great game. Obviously, it’s pouring and it’s freezing, but it’s definitely a game that you’ll remember and the kids had a blast. That’s what it’s about."

Piper Knowlton added two goals and Lily Jeans had a goal and an assist while Elise Saab also scored. Sara DiClemente made nine saves for the Astros, including a couple in the first half that helped keep the game close when Souhegan was controlling possession.

"I think our defense played very well and they really stepped up," DiClemente said. "We made sure we stayed on those cutters and made sure nothing was getting through the middle. It helped us out."

In the second half, Pinkerton kept the Sabers off the scoreboard for the final 17-plus minutes of the game.

Lyla Kimball led Souhegan with five goals, while Emma Kennedy had a goal and two assists and Natalie Heimarck had a goal. Riley Devine had two assists and Lyla Hawkes and Ava Grace had one helper apiece while Catherine Schriever made three saves.

Neither team could get on the board until Heimarck found the back of the net with 13:46 remaining in the first half. The Sabers had controlled possession to that point, keeping the ball in Pinkerton's end to put pressure on the defense, but the Astros kept it close.

"The defense played great (Wednesday) and got the ball back when we couldn’t win it off the draw," Bourque said. "We got it to the offense and they did a good job. Sara was incredible in net and the defense locked it down."

Pinkerton wasted no time tying the game, getting a goal from Jeans just 1:16 after Souhegan got on the board and the teams went back and forth for the final minutes of the half. The lead changed three times and the game was tied five times, with Schnider scoring with 27.3 seconds left in the half to make it 6-5 Astros going into the break.

Kimball opened the scoring in the second half, tying the game for Souhegan, but Pinardi answered off an assist from Lisauskas to put Pinkerton back in front. Moments later, it was Pinardi finding Lisauskas for a goal and an 8-6 lead, the largest for either team to that point.

The Sabers made it 8-7 on another goal from Kimball with 17:32 remaining in the game, but as the rain continued to soak everyone and everything, Souhegan's offense dried up.

Pinkerton became more deliberate in its offense and Schnider went on a 3-0 run over a seven-minute stretch to give the Astros an 11-7 lead. Pinardi and Knowlton added two more goals and Saab finished out the scoring with 2:39 remaining.

"It was good for us," DiClemente said. "We needed a big win before the playoffs. We needed that confidence booster. I think we played well (Wednesday)."