Armstrong/Cooper girls lacrosse opened last week with a 17-10 win over Osseo/Park Center at home on April 29 in an eventful battle of the co-ops.
The Wings have had an electric start to the season, winning four of their first five games, and scoring at least 10 goals in all four victories. OPC entered last week on a positive spell of their own. After scoring 12 goals in their first four games, all losses, the Crocs picked up a big non-conference 11-10 win on April 27 against St. Paul Academy o.
Armstrong/Cooper did eventually secure a strong win on April 29, but it did not come easily. The Wings quickly built a 5-0 lead in the first quarter, leaving OPC with work to do after the first break. The Crocs answered the call well, scoring four goals to start the second quarter. Chloe Hubred scored one, while Sohpia Jermstad scored a single-quarter hat trick to make it 5-4. The Wings found one goal before halftime from Bella Goergen to make it 6-4 at halftime.
The Wings found their feet early in the third quarter, rocketing back into a more-clear lead with five more goals. Goergen scored the opening goal, before Ashley Storlie and Jozy Doty grabbed one goal each. Katie Palony scored twice, one a penalty, to make it 11-4.
OPC was not done yet and a pair of goals for Husai Bah helped narrow the gap before Hubred scored her second of the day. Doty scored a penalty in the final seconds to make it 12-7 going into the fourth quarter. OPC had shown an immense amount of fight, but the Wings did look set for victory with their own dangerous attack.
Three goals, one from Millie Mickelberg and two from Palony helped complete her hat trick for the night, making it 15-7 in Armstrong/Cooper’s favor early in the fourth quarter. OPC and the Wings then exchanged goals, Macy Patton, Hubred, and Rei Saez for OPC and Brielle Anderson and Mickelberg for the Wings, to conclude the night at 17-10 to the hosts.
Anderson’s late goal helped her cross the 100 career varsity points mark with the Armstrong and Armstrong/Cooper girls lacrosse teams, while Hubred’s final goal in the fourth quarter earned her a hat trick. Patton’s goal in the fourth quarter was her first varsity goal.
Other results
The Wings faced defeat later last week, falling 19-9 on May 2 on the road to Blake. The loss broke a three-game winning streak and was just Armstrong/Cooper’s second defeat of the season. The Wings ended the week 4-1 in the conference, 5-2 overall.
Armstrong/Cooper will play two games the following week, traveling to Elk River/Zimmerman on May 6 (after this edition went to press) and hosting Wayzata on Thursday, May 9.
OPC took part in a second conference battle on May 2, falling 10-7 to Spring Lake Park at home. The game marked OPC’s closest defeat of the season thus far, as well as their third-highest goal tally of the season. The Crocs ended the week 1-6 overall.
OPC head coach Margot Coomes, who earned her first program win in that victory over St. Paul Academy, noted that she has seen clear improvements from the team physically and mentally.
“I think we’ve seen a ton of improvement as a team. We’re improving at the individual level but most importantly, we’re starting to play as a unit,” she said. “We’re starting to shut plays down now defensively and on the attacking side we’re definitely scoring more goals. ... The players are excited to play lacrosse, come to practice, be a part of these games. I think we’ve had a pretty big mentality shift over these last few weeks.”
Coomes added that, amid her debut year at the head of OPC girls lacrosse, she has enjoyed seeing the tone of the team shift over time.
“I think the best part has been watching their attitude shift. At the start of the season, there was a different tone that we’ve been able to change and that’s been so fun to see them enjoying lacrosse again.”
OPC will play two games the following week, hosting Totino-Grace/St. Anthony and Coon Rapids on May 6 (after this edition went to press) and Wednesday, May 8.
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