GIRLS LACROSSE: Moorestown falls to Summit in state final for second straight year

JOSH FRIEDMAN | @JFriedman57

UNION – The Moorestown High School girls’ lacrosse team suffered its worst loss in 25 years in last season’s Group 3 state title game to Summit.

The Quakers had one of their most devastating defeats in a rematch on Saturday.

Moorestown’s Cailin Field was stopped on an eight-meter attempt by goalie Maddie Collins with less than 20 seconds remaining in regulation as the Hilltoppers captured their second straight championship with a thrilling 9-8 victory at Kean University.

“Disappointment,” senior defenseman Nicki Dadino said of her emotions. “Honestly, going into this game I really truly believed this year was our year, not only to win this game, but to do so much more with this year’s team. It really is disappointing, and as a senior it’s always upsetting to think about how this was my last game.”

The Quakers (20-2) never got on track during last year’s final, a 15-6 Summit victory, and were in danger again on Saturday as the Hilltoppers (19-2) built a 4-1 lead with 12:55 left in the first half.

But Moorestown responded in force.

Ava Frantz and Robin Panzarella scored back-to-back goals to get within 4-3, and after Summit took a two-goal lead again just 28 seconds later, Kasey Knobloch and Quinn Nicolai netted two straight goals to close the half, with Nicolai’s coming just two seconds before the break, to even the score at 5-5.

The Quakers carried their excitement into the second half as Nicolai and Kacey Knobloch notched consecutive goals to go up 7-5.

“I know you shouldn’t be thinking ahead to the final whistle, but I really thought that we had it,” Dadino said.

The Hilltoppers stayed tough though, scoring the next three goals to retake an 8-7 advantage, but Kayla Frank tied it again with 3:49 to play.

Helen Johnson would stop Moorestown’s celebration with her third goal of the game to go up 9-8 with 1:56 left.

That set up the final showdown between Field and Collins.

“That’s a lot of pressure in this moment and I can’t blame her for that,” coach Deanna Knobloch said. “It would’ve been awesome if it went in, but we didn’t lose the game because Cailin didn’t put that shot in, there was too many missed opportunities before that.”

Moorestown-Summit girls lacrosse highlights Moorestown-Summit girls lacrosse highlights.

Collins, who finished with eight saves, had been in that position before. During last year’s Tournament of Champions final, she gave up a goal with less than 20 seconds remaining in regulation to Ridgewood, which led to overtime.

While Summit wound up winning that game, Collins never forgot that moment.

“This time I saved it,” said Collins, who told a teammate she couldn’t believe she was in that spot again as she walked off the field with tears of joy. “... It was crazy. Honestly, most of the time I just black out and I just see the ball and that’s all I think about, so I don’t really remember the details of it, but it’s just amazing. Once I heard the ball hit off my pads and land in front of me I’m like this is it. We’ve won the game. It’s done. It’s amazing.”

Collins was mobbed by the rest of her team as the clock hit zero. The Quakers slowly came off the field, and most were visibly heartbroken, but Knobloch didn’t want her girls to hang their heads.

“This was a battle to the very end,” she said. “Last year losing (15-6) was the worst loss in program history and that was a tough one to swallow. This one, the outcome is not what we wanted, but the effort and the tenacity and the pride our team showed today, I couldn’t ask any more of them.”

Josh Friedman; (856) 486-2431; jfriedman2@gannettnj.com