The signs were there. Since first-year coach Margot Coomes took over, the Osseo/Park Center girls’ lacrosse team has improved daily. The girls have progressed nicely on both sides of the field. They are scoring more goals and allowing less.
Against some stiff competition, OPC was outscored 12-65 over an 0-4 start to 2024. Since then, OPC has won three of their last five games and has scored 41 goals over that stretch.
On May 6, OPC beat Totino-Grace/St. Anthony 6-5 thanks to a Rei Saez hat trick. Chloe Hubred, Sophia Jermstad and Macy Patton also scored. Lauren Busch picked up an assist as well. Starting goalie Chloe Lamothe was sensational, making 15 saves on 20 shots on goal.
Two days later, OPC won their second straight game, 7-4 over Coon Rapids. Patton scored a hat trick and Hubred scored twice. Jermstad and Alli Olson scored the other two goals. Lamothe outdid herself, making 16 saves on 20 shots on goal.
It was the first time OPC won consecutive games since May 2021. The three wins are more than they had over the previous two seasons combined. They went 1-13 in 2023 and 2022. It’s the most wins they have had in a season since they won four games in 2021 and five in 2019.
They are trending upwards at the right point in the season. The regular season ended on Wednesday and they have built up some momentum going into the 2024 Section 5 playoffs. The section playoffs begin on Tuesday, May 28, with the play-in game. The quarterfinals begin the next day with the finals completing on Wednesday, June 5.
Saez (11), Hubred (10) and Jermstad (9) lead OPC in goals. Autumn Richards has a team-high two assists. Busch, Saez, Jermstad and Lauren Rainerson all have one assist each.
Patton’s hat trick against the Cardinals doubled her season total from three to six goals. Husai Bah and Rainerson both have five goals. Richards (2), Alli Olson and Gabby Edlund have also scored for OPC.
Patton (16), Hubred (15), Jermstaf (13), Edlund (12) and Saez (10) lead the team in ground balls. Patton also leads the team with 16 forced turnovers. Hubred (8), Bah (6), Saez (6) and Richards (5) lead the team in draw controls. Lamothe has 98 saves.
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