2 weeks Ago By Katherine Fominykh
For Severn girls lacrosse, giving up a turnover to their fiercest rival with 40 seconds on the game clock and a tedious 9-8 lead wasn’t exactly the plan.As St. Mary’s called time out, the Admirals huddled and told each other to be prepared for anything, and to support each other through it — physically and mentally.
It was a messy, physical game, Severn agreed, from players hitting the turf in pursuit of a ball to whipping chaotic shots that, at least sometimes, still worked.“Eleanor Beard was running the ball. We were making sure everyone’s ready to get open while we were still man down,” Admirals senior Sally Reed said, “and the bench is cheering.
”The Saints rolled through their normal set as the clocked ticked down, passing around in a loop and gearing for that one rapid drive to strike. It’s how they got most of their goals Tuesday and how they’ve disrupted the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference standings this season. Reed felt that there would be a good chance, however, that there might be a chance to force a turnover.
“So when I saw the adjacent girl was open, I just slid over,” Reed said. “She bobbled it and I got it.”Ground ball in her grasp, Reed spurred herself as quickly down the field as she could with Saints closing in around her.
As soon as she crossed midfield, she flung the ball. The clock sounded and Pascal Field flooded with Severn maroon jerseys.The Admirals on the sidelines poured toward their goalkeeper, all while laughing about how “poorly” they played to win.
Coach Kathy Rudkin replied, “hey, a win is a win.”Severn needs messy victories as much as pretty ones now. The Admirals (8-5, 4-4) entered Tuesday bogged in a four-way tie for sixth place in the IAAM A standings.
Only eight teams make the postseason. They’ve only got two games left to keep themselves in contention and to prove that they’re past the stage of up-and-coming.They’ve been building for years, and they’re tired of it.
“We keep saying we have so much potential, and our coaches correct us: It’s not about potential. It’s about ability. Not what you can do, but what you’ve done,” Reed said.
“I’ve seen it all here over four years and the team chemistry’s better than I’ve ever seen it.”April 22, 2025- St. Mary’s Jillian Fredrick scoops up the ball against Severn at St.
Mary’s. Severn won 9-8.(John Gillis/Freelance)April 22, 2025- Severn’s Sally Reed, left, and Maddie Ripley celebrate after a goal by Reed against St.
Mary’s at St. Mary’s. Severn won 9-8.
(John Gillis/Freelance)April 22, 2025- Severn’s Carys McKenzie runs the ball against St. Mary’s Kendall Kemezis at St. Mary’s.
Severn won 9-8.(John Gillis/Freelance)April 22, 2025- St. Mary’s goalie Addy Drain defends the goal against Severn’s Suzy Urban at St.
Mary’s. Severn won 9-8.(John Gillis/Freelance)April 22, 2025- St.
Mary’s Caroline Ewing, right, and Sydney DeMaio react after a goal by Ewing against Severn at St. Mary’s. Severn won 9-8.
(John Gillis/Freelance)April 22, 2025- St. Mary’s Anna Ervin scores against Severn at St. Mary’s.
Severn won 9-8.(John Gillis/Freelance)April 22, 2025- Severn’s Sally Reed carries the ball against St. Mary’s Maddie Mitchell at St.
Mary’s. Severn won 9-8.(John Gillis/Freelance)April 22, 2025- Severn’s Eleanor Beard charges toward the net between St.
Mary’s defenders Maddy Hahn, left, and Maddie Mitchell at St. Mary’s. Severn won 9-8.
(John Gillis/Freelance)April 22, 2025- Severn’s Sally Reed carries the ball against St. Mary’s Jayci Fredrick at St. Mary’s.
Severn won 9-8.(John Gillis/Freelance)Severn girls lacrosse celebrates after beating St. Mary's on Tuesday, 9-8.
(John Gillis/Freelance)Show Caption1 of 10April 22, 2025- St. Mary’s Jillian Fredrick scoops up the ball against Severn at St. Mary’s.
Severn won 9-8.(John Gillis/Freelance)ExpandSt. Mary’s (8-7, 5-4) never let Severn truly out of its sights.
Locked at 4-4 late in the first half, St. Mary’s junior Caroline Ewing grabbed a rebound Admiral goalie Cari Davis couldn’t corral and put it back in an open net with one second left before halftime. St.
Mary’s pushed to extend its lead, but Severn defenders swooped on every Saints ball-handler, forcing turnover after turnover. A goal the other way from Reed and two more from Beard made it 7-5 Severn after three. Related ArticlesNo.
1 Spalding boys lacrosse soundly beats No. 3 Calvert Hall, 11-6High school sports roundup (April 22)The Aegis high school sports players of the week for April 14-20Reservoir baseball’s Matt Russell and Gavin Metrick form dominant rotationVarsity Q&A: Spalding football’s Sean Johnson commits to Florida StateEverytime St. Mary’s threatened back within a goal, Severn answered to push the lead back.
When St. Mary’s Anna Ervin sliced the deficit to 7-6 early in the fourth, Severn junior Antonia Huber answered. Saints junior Sydney DeMaio brought it back to a one-goal game just a minute later, only for Admirals junior Peach Wellschlager to make it two.
None of that offense could have happened without defense hounding St. Mary’s, or making key stops. Davis’ stop of Ewing’s free position shot prevented the Saints from drawing even at one point in the fourth.
“She came up with that save when we really needed it,” Rudkin said. “We had big moments on the defense, the draw, all making plays when we needed it the most. We didn’t give up on each other.
”SEVERN — 2 2 3 2 — 9ST. MARY’S — 2 3 0 3 — 8GOALS — SV: Eleanor Beard 4, Sally Reed 3, Antonia Huber 1, Peach Wellschlager 1; SM: Caroline Ewing 3, Sydney DeMaio 2, Anna Ervin 1, Lily Messineo 1, Elizabeth Schummer 1ASSISTS — SV: Eleanor Beard 1, Suzy Urban 1, Kelsey Pozdol 1, Maddie Ripley 1Have a sports tip? Contact Katherine Fominykh at [email protected] or DM @capgazsports on Instagram.
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