Girls Lacrosse: Viking Goals Netting Huge Donations to a Great Cause

The Loudoun Valley High School girls lacrosse team. (Below are Morgan Becker and Brooke Cope).

Special to VivaLoudoun.com
(Apr. 29, 2010) - The Loudoun Valley High School girls lacrosse team isn’t just “netting” goals that win games this season, they are “netting” huge donations to support a great cause.

On Monday April 12, Valley took on Loudoun rival Heritage in their first “Lax for a Cure” match up. Starting junior defender Brooke Cope was instrumental in getting the already scheduled game turned into a special event to raise awareness and money for breast cancer.

Valley and Heritage have partnered in other sports, like volleyball and basketball, this year to make their games mean something more than just a friendly rivalry.

Cope credits her inspiration to her mother, a breast cancer survivor of 14 years.

“Our team wanted to be a part of this partnership with Heritage for the sport of women’s lacrosse. We wanted to make a difference,” said Cope, who along with her mother and starting senior attacker and captain, Morgan Becker, worked for weeks planning several fundraising opportunities.

Local business, “Tropical Smoothie” in Purcellville, a great supporter of Loudoun Valley athletics, hosted an evening fundraiser in which proceeds were donated to the cause.

Cope and Becker also decided to design shirts to sell to students that would raise more money. Cope’s brother, designed the shirts that sold out and needed to be reordered several times. The Varsity team with the help of the JV squad, sold t-shirts at school and had bake sales to help promote the game and raise money for breast cancer.

At the game, more shirts were sold and many just made donations. The Loudoun Valley Athletic Department generously donated a large percentage of the gate proceeds to the amount the team had raised as well. Almost $1,500 total was raised to donate to the Susan B. Komen foundation. It was a great team effort to support a great cause!

Within the first five minutes of the game, Valley had the lead with five goals. Junior midfielder Andrea Mustacchio was first to reach the back of the net with an assist from Becker. Goals followed by senior midfielder and captain Sophie Swan, Becker, junior attack Sarah Furr, and Cope. As the game progressed more goals were scored by sophomore attack Ellen Fuller, junior midfielder Kayla Ebrahimnejad, two goals from senior midfielder captain Shannon Harkey and a hat trick for senior attack Michelle Zakrzewski.

Sam Fox was the first to score from Heritage with 12:26 left in the first half as she put one in the net unassisted. In the second half more contributions were made by freshmen midfielders Megan Williamson and Keira Hornyak, junior attack Cait Khosla and junior defender Caitlin McGinn. Erika Grabbi from Heritage also scored giving Heritage their second goal of the game.

Junior Kelsey Luck had a successful game as Valley’s starting goalie. Senior Erin O’Donnell and sophomore Maggie Begleau also contributed in goal. Valley won the District matchup 21–2 but on this night there were no losers, only winners.