Quarterfinal rounds highlight Friday’s lacrosse slate for all three conferences

By Nelson Coffin
nelson@iaamsports.com

Holding off an inspired Glenelg Country School team, 11-10, in an A Conference play-in game this week has earned eighth-seeded Bryn Mawr another tough assignment when it travels to Owings Mills on Friday to take on top-seeded and defending champion McDonogh in the quarterfinal round of the playoff tournament.

Coach Molly Wolf knows the extent of the challenges ahead for her Mawritians, who have split 14 games against league foes this season while the Eagles (15-1, 13-0) are riding a 30-game winning streak over the last two seasons against similar competition.

“We’re excited for the opportunity,” Wolf said. “We have to minimize our mistakes and maximize their mistakes.It’s just a great opportunity to play against the best.”

Bryn Mawr will rely on senior Kaitlyn Sevier, junior Libby Speicher and sophomore Gracyn Lambert on the offensive end while seniors Lexi Reber (Syracuse), Ellie Wheeler (Florida Southern) and Madison Carroll (Florida) will be tasked with protecting sophomore goalie Zoe Herkalo in the defensive sector.

When the teams met in late April, McDonogh prevailed, 17-7, which may or may not have left a lasting impression on the Mawrtians.

“We’ve been working on getting out of our own heads,” Wolf said. “We have the talent. It’s just that some days we’re on and some days we’re off. But I’ll take my kids any day.”

The winner will advance to a conference semifinal on May 8 against the survivor of No. 5 John Carroll and fourth-seeded Archbishop Spalding.

On the other side of the bracket, No. 3 St. Paul’s School for Girls will host sixth-seeded Notre Dame Prep for a chance to confront the victor of No. 2 Maryvale and No. 7 St. Mary’s. The Saints ousted Roland Park Country School, 11-6, to reach a quarterfinal berth.

The lone quarterfinal between fifth-seeded Concordia Prep vs. No. 4 Indian Creek on Friday will determine which of those teams will square off against top-seeded Gerstell Academy when the B Conference semifinals commence on May 8.

Defending champion and second-seeded St. John’s Catholic Prep will tussle with No. 3 Park in the other semifinal, a rematch of last year’s tightly-contested conference final.

C Conference quarterfinal rivals No. 5 St. Vincent Pallotti and No. 4 Catholic will go at it on Friday for the right to face top-seeded St. Timothy’s on May 8 just as No. 6 Friends and No. 3 Beth Tfiloh will battle to earn a spot against second-seeded Annapolis Area Christian School the same day.

The A Conference championship game is scheduled for Friday, May 10, at 7 p.m. at USA Lacrosse’s Tierney Field in Sparks. The C Conference (5 p.m.) and B Conference (7:30 p.m.) finals are slated for the following day at the same site.