Old Lyme’s back in a familiar spot
Top-seeded Wildcats will play Old Saybrook for Shorline Conference title
Old Lyme — They've reached The Big Game again, the girls of Old Lyme High have, this time the Shoreline Conference girls' lacrosse championship game, following a 17-10 win over Morgan in Wednesday's semifinals.
This is a position with which they're plenty familiar, if not a bit leery.
"Sometimes," Old Lyme coach Emily Macione said after Wednesday's win, "the more you win, the more anxiety it can cause."
Macione's program has won a lot, evidenced by consecutive trips to the Class S state semifinals, berth in the Shoreline title game last year and undefeated record within the league this regular season.
Maybe this is the year the Wildcats go from star crossed to champions. In 2014: They lost to Stonington in the state semis.
Last season, they lost to Old Saybrook — Thursday's opponent — in the Shoreline finals and to Granby in the state semifinals.
"This would be big for us," Macione said of a potential victory Thursday night at 7 in the finals on the turfed lawn of Connecticut College. "It's a great opportunity in the 'River Rivalry' as the kids call it."
Old Saybrook, a 10-9 winner over Haddam-Killingworth in Wednesday's other semifinal, defeated Old Lyme by a goal last season.
Sloane Sweitzer scored five goals and added two assists for the Wildcats, who were barely threatened, while Lauren Quaratella scored four goals, Sydney Cowell three and Anna Mesham two.
Macione removed the varsity with a 17-5 lead in the second half. Morgan's final five goals came during running time against Old Lyme's junior varsity. Macione said she was happy to give the younger players a chance to compete in a tournament atmosphere.
"It wasn't a bad problem to have," she said. "I like to give the other kids an opportunity."
Macione called Old Saybrook "good and skilled."
Old Lyme won both regular season meetings, 7-3 on April 14 and 13-8 on May 10.
She also knows what a third win over the Rams would mean.
"A lot of the games we've had have stung," Macione said.
"We're looking forward to the opportunity." m.dimauro@theday.com