Mount Lebanon Captures First WPIAL Girls Lacrosse D-I Title in 8 Years

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, May 23, 2014 | 1:05 AM

The last loss that Mt. Lebanon suffered left a bad taste in their mouths. Shady Side Academy led the Blue Devils 9-7 in last year’s WPIAL Girls Division I Lacrosse semifinals when lightning forced the game to be called off with about ten minutes remaining. Mt. Lebanon took it personal. How personal? The Blue Devils adopted the motto “Let the storm rage on” even putting that mantra on t-shirts for the 2014 season.

The WPIAL storm is over for Mt. Lebanon as they improved to (20-0) after defeating Quaker Valley 9-7 at Highmark Stadium. Just like she did in the team’s semifinal win over Shady Side Academy, senior captain Alyssa Battaglia led the Blue Devils scoring 5 goals.

Junior goal keeper Carina Barnes made seven saves in net for the Blue Devils as Mt. Lebanon captured its first championship since winning three straight titles from 2004 through 2006.

Junior midfielder Alenna Holzworth started the scoring for Mt. Lebanon beating Quaker Valley goalkeeper Aubrie Tarris at 4:37 into the first half.

The Quakers answered back just over two minutes later when junior Annie Henry netted the first of her two goals to tie the game at 1-1.

Anna Albers put Mt. Lebanon back in front at 2-1 at the 8:25 mark and it was a lead that the Blue Devils would never relinquish.

Battaglia scored her first goal at 10:13 but Henry answered for Quaker Valley at 13:30 off a great feed from Emily Kraus and the score was 3-2. Sophomore attacker Megan Gibbons scored her first goal of the game on a sweet shot at 13:30 and Battaglia completed the hat trick with markers at 20:21 & 24:42 to give Mt. Lebanon a 6-2 lead.

But QV junior attacker Lexi Meanor beat the clock and Barnes from close in, scoring with: 02 left before halftime to cut the deficit to 3 goals. Meaner scored her second goal 4:51 into the second half and the Quakers trailed by two.

Battaglia countered with her 4^th tally on a free possession goal at 12:31 and the lead was back at three for Mt. Lebanon.

Aubrey Bouchard scored her first goal at 14:05 before Gibbons answered at 18:49 and the Blue Devils led 8-5. Bouchard picked up her second assist on a great pass to set up Megan Amoroso for Quaker Valley at 19:51 of the second half, and the sophomore Bouchard netted her second goal of the game on a free possession at 20:36 to bring the Quakers back to within a goal at 8-7.

But Battaglia ended all thoughts of a comeback when she score her fifth goal on a free possession with just over two and ½ minutes remaining to seal the 9-7 win for Mt. Lebanon.

The Blue Devils won two huge draws down the stretch after being dominated in that category for most of the game by Quaker Valley’s Henry. The Quakers were also undefeated at (18-0) coming into the championship game.

QV’s last loss came during last year’s DI playoffs, when the Quakers bowed out in the quarterfinals 9-8 also to Shady Side Academy. Both Mt’ Lebanon and Quaker Valley will move onto the PIAA tournament to represent the WPIAL.

The District 7 champion Blue Devils will face the third place team from District 3, while the Quakers will face the champions from either District 6 or 10.

Both teams will start their state tournament slates next Wednesday May 28^th.

Scoring Summary:

Mt. Lebanon      :    6    –    3    =     9

Quaker Valley    :    3    –    4    =     7

1st Half Scoring:

Mt. L: Allena Holzworth                                                                 (3:01)

QV: Annie Henry – Aubrey Bouchard                                      (6:38)

Mt. L: Anna Albers                                                                           (8:25)

Mt. L: Alyssa Battaglia                                                                    (10:13)

QV: Henry (2) – Emily Kraus                                                         (13:30)

Mt. L: Megan Gibbons                                                                   (14:39)

Mt. L: Battaglia (2) – Free Position                                            (20:21)

Mt. L: Battaglia (3)                                                                           (24:42)

QV: Lexi Meanor                                                                              (24:58)

2nd Half Scoring:

QV: Meanor (2) – Kayla Foster                                                   (4:51)

Mt. L: Battaglia (4) – Free Position                                            (12:31)

QV: Bouchard                                                                                    (14:05)

Mt. L: Gibbons (2)                                                                            (18:49)

QV: Megan Amoroso – Bouchard                                             (19:51)

QV: Bouchard – Free Position                                                     (20:36)

Mt. L: Battaglia (5) – Free Position                                            (22:33)

Goalkeepers

Mt. Lebanon – Carina Barnes

Quaker Valley – Aubrie Tarris