Lauren Jakobs scored five goals to lead the Lake Region girls’ lacrosse team to a 12-5 victory over Waynflete on Monday afternoon.
Lake Region (9-1) took the lead 37 seconds into the game on a goal by Jakobs (assisted by Melissa Bonenfant).
“We knew we had to come out with a lot of energy,” said Jakobs.
“Our offense works so well together and we knew we just had to get the draws and keep possession to score. I think we did a really good job.”
Less than two minutes later, Bonenfant put the Lakers ahead 2-0.
Waynflete earned a power play with 21:16 remaining in the first half, but it was Lake Region that looked like it had the advantage.
While short-handed, the Lakers scored a pair of goals to take a 4-0 lead just over five minutes into the game.
“(Waynflete is) pretty evenly matched with us, but us coming out strong scared them a little bit so they were dropping passes and not playing as well as they usually do,” said Jakobs.
Lake Region took a 9-0 lead into halftime, capped by a Jakobs’ goal with two seconds remaining in the half.
“We really weren’t relaxed until the game ended because (Waynflete is) a great team,” said Lake Region Coach David Keenan.
Waynflete (5-4) started fast in the second half, breaking the shutout 1:11 in on a goal by LZ Olney.
Less than a minute later, Izzy Burdick scored on an assist by Ya Stockford to pull Waynflete within 9-2.
“We regrouped at halftime but it was just a little too late,” said Waynflete Coach Cathie Connors.
Burdick scored two goals and added an assist.
Lake Region regained comfort with three straight goals, extending its lead to 12-2 with 13:41 left in the game.
“Lake Region played a perfect game,” said Connors. “They played a beautiful game.”
The Flyers embarked on an offensive flurry in the final 12 minutes and were able to score three times in the final 11:42.
Waynflete is looking to take positives from a second half in which it outscored Lake Region, 5-3.
“We attacked (in the second half), we got the ball back several times on (Lake Region’s) clear,” said Connors.
“First half was tough, that happens, but we regrouped in the second half and learned a lot from it.”
Senior Maddie Nelson drew the start in net for Lake Region and did not allow a goal in the first half.
In the second half, the Lakers turned to junior Emily Lake. Despite allowing five goals, Lake was solid and made some good plays for Lake Region during the late attack by the Flyers.
“We’ve been splitting the whole season,” said Keenan. “(Nelson) starts the first half and (Lake) starts the second half. They’ve both been so even throughout, we just play them both.”
Lake Region currently sits atop the standings in Class C and the win over Class B Waynflete brings the Lakers one step closer to clinching home-field advantage for the playoffs.
“That is our main goal, to get home-field advantage and show the state that we can beat Class B teams,” said Jakobs.
Stockford had a goal and three assists for Waynflete, which was eight in the Class B Heal points before the game.
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