South’s patience pays off in win over Hightstown

PRINCETON JCT. » Possession and patience.

It is the style of play the West Windsor-Plainsboro South girls lacrosse team has found to be most effective.

The Pirates not only survived Hightstown in a 7-4 win on Thursday, but they survived a light rain, a driving rain, even a little sun and a hail storm in a Colonial Valley Conference Valley Division game played on the turf at South.

The Rams (5-5, 1-1 Valley) had the early lead only to see WW-P South (4-4, 1-1 Valley) rally in the second half to take a lead and then control the ball using its deliberate offense and tenacious defense to protect the advantage.

“The thing I like about our team is they have heart,” said South coach Tracy Klugerman. “They never give up, they play the whole game and they want it. It’s all starting to come together.”

After a 3-3 first half the Pirates scored twice to grab a 5-3 lead with 19:31 left in the game. Hightstown pulled within one, but the final 6:25 belonged to the Pirates as they scored twice and maintained possession.

“That’s the way I like to play,” said Klugerman. “It gets us settled and we can do our thing. It has everyone in the game and working. The longer we have possession the longer the other team doesn’t.”

When the Pirates, who snapped a two-game losing skid, had possession it was Kaity Mattia doing the damage with four goals. Allie Strouse had two and Jane Klugerman one.

Hightstown was paced by Jackie Matson with a pair, Anna Trancozo and Nicole Masone each had one. Abby Agostino had a pair of assists and Carly Haug one.

“It was a game that was right in our hands,” said Hightstown coach Erin Scheno. “We played well in the first half capitalizing on the opportunities that we had. Then in the second half we kind of dropped the ball, literally and figuratively. We had too many turnovers. We knew they were a team that likes long possessions.”

Just a sophomore, South’s Mattia had 25 goals as a freshman last season and the four against the Rams give her 12 in the 2018 season.

“We really wanted this game and we played together and we able to find each other,” said Mattia. “This was a game that we really wanted. This is the kind of win that can help us and build our confidence for the rest of the season.”

As the season quickly winds down the Pirates snapped a two-game losing streak and the Rams now find themselves having lost two straight.

“This could be a great last month of the season and I know a team with 10 seniors is going to want to finish strong leading into the tournament,” said Scheno. “We have a lot of experience in close games and new we have to prove ourselves in last weeks of the regular season.”

Hightstown (5-5) WW-PS (4-4) Goals —

Matson 2, Trancozo, Masone (H). Mattia 4, Strouse 2, Klugerman (WWS).

Assists — Shots — Saves — 3 3 1— 4— 4 7

Agostino 2, Haug (H).

12 (H). 13 (WWS). Mason 6 (H). Frotte 8 (WWS).