Shady Side roughs up Mt. Lebanon, wins WPIAL title
By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Addison Murdoch (35) and Allison Hyland (2) attempt to keep a stiff upper lip as the medals are distributed after Mt. Lebanon’s loss to Shady Side Academy, 15-7, in the WPIAL Class 3A championship lacrosse match.
By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Teagan Hoover attempts to maintain her balance and control of the ball while being chased by Shady Side Academy defenders Austin Casey (6) and Sydney Demchak (14). Mt. Lebanon dropped a 15-7 decision to the Bulldogs in the WPIAL Class 3A championship match.
By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
After receiving her silver medal, Reagan Murdoch sought medical attention for her left wrist which was broken in a fall during Mt. Lebanon’s 15-7 loss to Shady Side Academy in the WPIAL Class 3A girls’ championship match. An American University recruit, Murdoch finished her scholastic career with 196 goals.
Shady Side Academy (17-3) used a physical style of play and defeated Mt. Lebanon, 15-7, in the WPIAL Class 3A girls championship lacrosse match played May 25 at Joe Walton Stadium on the Robert Morris University campus.
It was the second straight year the Bulldogs defeated the Blue Devils (17-2) in the finals.
The contest turned when Reagan Murdoch suffered a broken left wrist in a fall after being hit from behind in the Bulldogs’ zone with 23 seconds remaining in the first half. An American University recruit, Murdoch had scored 196 goals in her career and had already managed a hat trick and an assist before exiting the contest with the injury.
Without Murdoch, the Bulldogs shut out the Blue Devils in the second half. They outscored Lebo, 7-0, to break open a game that was separated by one goal, 8-7, at intermission.
Lebo coach Brian Kattan acknowledged the loss of Murdoch in the lineup as well as the manner of play on the field.
“Obviously, not having (Reagan) hurt for sure,” he said.
“That was the dirtiest game we played in a long, long time. You can be physical. You can be aggressive but you don’t have to be dirty. You crosscheck our best player in the back knowing what will happen. They crosschecked everybody in the back and slashed,” he added.
Regardless, SSA carved out the victory by taking advantage of its talent.
Cecelia Messner scored three of her four goals in the second half while Florida recruit Jenny Woodings exploded for a game-high five tallies.
Molly Walsh followed with four goals as well as two assists. Dylan Green and Morgan Golden completed the goal scoring for SSA.
After Murdoch’s hat trick, Addison Murdoch, Lillian Girod, Tegan Hoover and Megan Cain registered goals for the Blue Devils. Addison Murdoch collected two assists while Girod dished up another.
Addison Murdoch spearheaded Lebo’s three-goal uprising in the final 1:36 of play in the first half. She, along with Cain and Hoover, pulled the Blue Devils to within one goal by halftime.
”Addison stepped up. They all stepped up and did a great job,” Kattan said, especially after Murdoch’s injury. “We had some great shots in the second half. We just did not bury them.
”I’m not upset about the effort we gave. We had a hell of a great effort, a 100 percent effort,” he added. “We just got the crap beat out of us out there.”
While Murdoch’s season is over, Lebo’s is not. The Blue Devils have qualified for the PIAA tournament. They will play a first-round game facing the District 6 or 10 champion on May 31.