Lacrosse: Dramatic 1-Goal Wins Lift Loudoun County Boys, Girls Into Semifinals

(May 16, 2011) - The Loudoun County girls and boys lacrosse teams were in the rare position last Thursday as the hosts to Broad Run in the playoffs but the Spartans, though no longer the district top powers, were not about to let their 2011 seasons go quietly.

The Broad Run girls (6-7) scored seven unanswered goals to erase a comfortable Raider lead and take a late advantage but County (11-4) fought back to tie and then won, 16-15, on sophomore midfielder Sarah Greenspon's goal off a nice pass from junior Rachel Solis with 1:27 left.

The Broad Run boys (6-9) led with five minutes to go, 12-11, but County (11-4) scored the final two goals senior as Jack Reimers dramatic goal with 7.8 seconds left gave the Raiders the win.

"In my entire career in four years of varsity football and four years of varsity lacrosse we have beaten Broad Run just twice and that has happened in just the last week. Before that we were probably something like 0-12 against them," said Reimers.

The win advanced the County teams where the Raider boys will play at No. 2 seed Dominion tonight and the girls will travel to top seed Woodgrove.

What advice to County girls coach Courtney Bauder give her girls when they fell behind Broad Run Thursday? It was blunt and simple: "I told them this was it. We lose this and we are done."

Solis had a huge game for the Raiders with nine goals and two assists. Greenspon scored four times and Caila Cummings scored twice.

"That was a huge goal by Sarah," said Bauder who almost lost her voice during the contest.

Solis made a long run up the field, drawing the Broad Run defense, before dishing off to Greenspon who scored with a high finish, something that team had been working on late in the season.

"I didn't think I was going to make it up the field to shoot and I trust Sarah with everything, I knew she could handle it," said Solis of the winning combination.

Broad Run had a final chance to tie it but Raider senior defender Jaci Shepherd came up with one of the biggest steals in program history as County was able to run out the clock.

BR junior Taylor Forman matched Solis with nine gaols and senior Kim Buckman scored three times while sophomore Lindsay Weaver struck twice. Also key for the Spartans was the play of Heidi Smith with eight assists and good percentage of winning draws to help set the table for BR's offense.

Reimers goal in the waning seconds wasn't the only clutch goal he had just before the horn in the game as he struck in the first quarter with a goal with just 6.2 seconds left that put County up 4-3.

Broad Run senior Ryan Madigan tried the best he could to extend his Spartan career has he struck for eight goals even though he was marked closely by the Raiders.

County had more scoring depth with Peyton Stone and Reimers each scoring four times and four other players finding the net as well.

Madigan put BR up 11-10 with 10:55 to play with a shot from distance but BR could not score in a man up advantage to extend the lead and as Reimers came onto the field after the penalty expired, he scored to tie at 9:41.

The Spartans retook the lead on a goal by Collin Kohlasch with 5:48 left but BR would not score again.

County tied it up after a massive check in the midfield gave the Raiders possession and Stone struck to make it 12-12 with 4:37 left.

Madigan appeared to put the Spartans ahead with less than two to play but the shot skimmed the outside of the netting and didn't go in. Both teams had their chances with Reimers missing with 1:17 to play and Broad Run calling time out with 1:04 to go. The Spartans worked for the final shot only to have the ball stolen and in transition County fired twice and missed before calling time out with 15.4 seconds to play.

Reimers found himself covered by a short stick out of the time out and let it rip for the game winner with 7.8 seconds left.

"They told me to pick it up behind the net at X and luckily I had a shortie on me," said Reimers. "I went left and then I went back to my right, I was looking to get rid of it but nobody came so I just turned the corner and aimed bottom."

Boys Lacrosse
Dulles District Quarterfinals
Briar Woods 18, George Mason 0
Woodgrove 17, Freedom 8
Loudoun County 13, Broad Run 12
Dominion 13, Potomac Falls 7

Semifinals - Monday
No. 4 Woodgrove at No. 1 Briar Woods
No. 3 Loudoun County at No. 2 Dominion

Girls Lacrosse
Dulles District Quarterfinals
Woodgrove 26, Dominion 10
Loudoun County 16, Broad Run 15
Briar Woods 14, Potomac Falls 11
Freedom 22, George Mason 8

Semifinals - Monday
No. 4 Loudoun County at No. 1 Woodgrove
No. 3 Briar Woods at No. 2 Freedom