By Lesley Graham
The 11th ranked Ocean City High School girls’ lacrosse team suffered a 17-3 loss Thursday to perennial powerhouse Moorestown in the South Jersey Group III playoff finals.
The Red Raiders ended their season with a record of 19-3. During the year, Moorestown was the only New Jersey school that beat them – in their first game of the season and their last. Ocean City’s only other defeat during the season was to Garnet Valley High School of Pennsylvania.
Senior Danielle Donoghue led Ocean City in scoring with two goals against Moorestown in the playoff game. Senior Emily DiMarino added the third.
The Red Raiders outdrew the Quakers of Moorestown 14-8 on the circle, but was unable to convert on the offensive side of the field.
The Quakers opened up the scoring quickly, taking a 2-0 lead early in the first half. Donoghue found the back of the net for her first goal on the day, but Moorestown answered right back, bringing the score to 3-1.
Both teams spent the next 10 minutes trading shots and strong defense, keeping it scoreless until Moorestown opened the flood gates and scored its fourth goal with 9:47 remaining in the first half. The Quakers then scored the next eight goals to take a 10-1 lead at halftime.
As the second half got underway, Moorestown continued its dominance on the offensive end, chipping in seven more goals as the clock continued to run. Ocean City didn’t give up, though, continuing to fight for every possession, ground ball and opportunity to put a point on the scoreboard.
“I think our kids were really tough,” Ocean City Head Coach Alyssa Morrison said after the game. “We are slowly getting out of that scared-of-Moorestown phase, but every year we are chipping away.”
Moorestown, the 4th ranked team in the state and the No. 1 seed in the South Jersey Group III tournament, won its ninth straight title Thursday.
Moorestown is a familiar foe for the Red Raiders, as the two teams met in the opening game of the season, when the Quakers defeated Ocean City 19-11. The Red Raiders also faced the Quakers in the 2018 Group III final, when Moorestown came out on top.
On Thursday, the Red Raiders scored twice as the second half was winding down to end the game with their heads held high and thoughts looking towards the future.
Morrison said she was proud of the players and their performance all season long, especially the seniors.
“The seniors are a great group and have done a lot for this program, and we are going to miss them,” she said. “But we have a lot of talent and are looking forward to what the future holds.”
