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# St. Thomas holds off Gilford late to win back-to-back D3 girls lacrosse titles (video)
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/st-thomas-holds-off-gilford-late-to-win-back-to-back-d3-girls-lacrosse-titles-video/
- Published: 2025-06-11T16:30:17.000Z
- Updated: 2025-06-11T16:30:17.000Z
- Description: EXETER - The St. Thomas Aquinas High School girls lacrosse team knew that if it was going repeat as Division III champions, it was going to have to figure out how to consistently beat Gilford's zone defense. When the teams played in the regular season, the Golden Eagles held the Saints to their low
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division III-IV, championship, Division III, Gilford, girls lacrosse, playoffs, slider, St. Thomas, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

EXETER - The St. Thomas Aquinas High School girls lacrosse team knew that if it was going repeat as Division III champions, it was going to have to figure out how to consistently beat Gilford's zone defense.

When the teams played in the regular season, the Golden Eagles held the Saints to their lowest offensive output and their closest game against a division opponent, so St. Thomas spent most of its practice Monday working on its zone offense.

All that work paid off Tuesday, as the top-seeded Saints got out to an early lead, withstood a run in the second quarter, and held off No. 2 Gilford in the fourth for a 15-11 win in the D3 title game at Bill Ball Stadium in Exeter.

Talula Gregg scored five of her team-high six goals in the second half and handed out four assists to lead the offense for St. Thomas (17-1) and Chloe Baker came up with 14 saves, a handful of which were in the fourth quarter.

"Gilford has a phenomenal zone defense and they put up a heck of a fight," St. Thomas coach Jen Carroll said. "They’re so deep in their defense and their ability to crash in that zone, it’s so hard to beat. They’re quick, they’re fast, they’re so strong, and we don’t see very many teams that play zone.

"At practice (Monday) night and we set our defense up in zone and they were like ‘what are we doing?’ We need to practice it because this is what you’re going to see to (Tuesday)."

Lizzy Holden added two goals and an assist and Kensley Harris and Charlotte De Tolla each scored twice for the Saints. Reece Anderson added a goal and two assists while Lucy Broom (one assist) and Isabel Taylor also had a goal apiece.

Leah Davignon led Gilford (14-3) with five goals and Liv Keenan scored twice. Addison Harris, Camyn Coutts, Addison Normandin and Abby Watson added a goal apiece while Lilly Windward finished with eight saves.

St. Thomas got out to a 5-1 lead in the first quarter, but Gilford responded in the second with a 5-1 run of its own to tie the game 6-6 late in the half.

Taylor got her goal with 1:39 left before halftime to give the Saints a 7-6 lead at the break, but the Golden Eagles felt they'd taken some momentum back.

"We held them in the second quarter," Gilford coach Jen Watson said. "I think things were just clicking. Sometimes we have this organized chaos out there, and once they settle in, take a deep breath, that’s when you see them shine. That was definitely exhibited in the second quarter."

Davignon tied the game again for Gilford just 56 seconds into the half but De Tolla gave St. Thomas the lead back a minute later. Coutts scored to tie the game with 7:41 remaining in the third, but again, the Saints answered, as Gregg scored 30 seconds later.

The score stayed at 9-8 until a flurry of goals late in the quarter gave St. Thomas an 11-9 lead going into the fourth.

"Our communication got so good in the second half," Gregg said. "Breaking a zone defense has been a struggle for us all season. It confused us a lot because they have a very strong zone defense. We played against others and managed to break it enough, but theirs is very strong. It was critical to practice and prepare for that."

Normandin's goal cut the lead to one with just 37 seconds gone in the fourth quarter, but De Tolla and Gregg scored back-to-back just 36 seconds apart to give the Saints their biggest lead of the second half to that point.

Down 13-10, Gilford took a timeout with 8:40 remaining and scored just 23 seconds after, but the Golden Eagles couldn't get any closer the rest of the way.

"My girls came out strong and they never let down," Jen Watson said. "I’m proud of them and they worked hard all season. I felt like we were an underdog going into the season and had to fight for the second seed."

It was the second title-game appearance for Gilford, after also falling to St. Thomas in last year's title game. And it was the third straight trip to the final for the Saints, and fourth overall, with wins now in back-to-back championship games.

"Our team energy is so positive and it’s so fun to be on and play with at all times," Gregg said. "I’m always excited to go to practice, go to games, go to team bonding things. I think the positive energy kept us going all season."