Luck of the Irish: Junior Attacker Shines in Chatham Girl’s Lacrosse Win Over Kent Place; Team Gets Payback

With each passing game, Chatham High School (N.J.) Girl’s lacrosse team continues to prove it can play with, and beat, anyone it faces.

Behind four goals, two assists and four ball controls from junior Annie Irish, the No. 22 nationally-ranked (USA Lacrosse Magazine), 7-0 Cougars mowed down another club, with Kent Place (2-3) taking the 13-7 defeat Tuesday evening at home.

After losing to Kent Place, 11-10, in overtime last season, Chatham felt it gained some redemption this time around.

However, Cougar head coach Helen McCutcheon-Oliver did not overly concern herself with vengeance. She said, while it provided a bit of inspiration, she just looked to emerge victorious.

“We lost to them in overtime last year, so there was definitely a little bit more motivation like, ‘let’s redeem the loss from last year,”‘ McCutcheon-Oliver said. “So, it was something for the juniors from last year. But it’s (pretty much) a new team every year. It’s something to mention, but we just wanted to win.”

Irish got Chatham on the scoreboard with 9:27 to go in the first period. Senior Grace Hallahan found the back of the net to give the Cougars a 2-0 advantage with 8:20 left in the first quarter.

Not one to take all the credit for the victory, Irish spread the praise to her entire squad for its solid overall effort.

“It was a good game,” Irish said. “I think we really wanted this one. We worked hard and looked for each other, and I think we did a great job today.”

Both teams battled back and forth, with Chatham leading, 4-3, at the end of the period.

But the Cougars scored five unanswered tallies, starting early in the second quarter and extending to midway through the third period, that swelled their advantage to six goals with 7:01 remaining in the second half.

A marker from senior Ashlyn Carpenter with 0:45 in the third quarter kept Chatham’s lead at six intact at 11-5.

The Cougars’ defense clamped down in the fourth period, and goals from Irish and sophomore Simone Claps late in the affair sealed the deal for Chatham.

Irish finished with six points, while Carpenter pumped in three tallies and a helper, and Hallahan added two goals and an assist for the Cougars.

Freshman Cate Collins led the Dragons with three scores.

Chatham hosts Ridgewood Thursday at 4:00 p.m.

— Jerry Del Priore