Chargers off to hot start after throttling Vikings for 2nd time this season

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PITTSBORO — There was no better way to cap off senior night than the way the Northwood Chargers’ women’s lacrosse team did last Friday, earning a 17-point win over the Union Pines Vikings to complete the 2-0 season sweep.

From the opening face-off to the final buzzer, the Chargers (6-2, 1-2 in Central 3A) commandeered the game with their upbeat tempo and explosive pace that the Vikings (3-3, 2-1 in Sandhills Athletic Conference) simply couldn’t keep up with, resulting in the 20-3 final score that acted as the second blowout handed out by the Chargers to the Vikings this season.

Senior midfielder and defenseman Kendall LaBerge put on an outstanding display for the Northwood crowd, rightfully earning her Player of the Game award.

She refused to be denied from the opening seconds of the game, and she didn’t show any signs of slowing down throughout, capping off her scoring clinic with seven goals on eight shots, outscoring the entire Vikings team on her own.

“Aggression is definitely a part of our game,” LaBerge said following the win. She attributed her team’s explosive playstyle and grittiness to playing teams like East Chapel Hill and Chapel Hill, who she described as being more skilled stick-wise, forcing them to come at them with more grit in order to compete.

Northwood junior Grazi Costa set the tone early for the Chargers with a quick goal in the first few seconds of the game, followed by junior Mia Collins who nabbed back-to-back goals of her own after a steal by LaBerge.

The Chargers took advantage of their upper hand in speed and skill on the offensive end by making sure they dominated the draws, allowing them to jump out to such a big lead.

“Win the draw, rule the world,” said Northwood Head Coach Larry Fritsche.

Aside from their exceptional scoring ability, the Chargers’ defense truly set them apart, resulting in only one goal given up in the first half and just two in the second.

“Defense is vital,” commented Fritsche after the game, which was evident throughout the battle as the Chargers’ energy on the offensive end undoubtedly benefited their defense.

Multiple blocked shots and stick checking by the Chargers made it hard for the Vikings to attempt shots at the goal. The Vikings attempted many free position shots over the course of the game, including a stretch of three 8-meter shots in a row, proving just how aggressive Northwood was on the defending half of the field.

The Chargers’ defensive strategy and execution helped to set up much of their offense, which was centered around their ability to hawk down and steal passes thrown across the field, which led to a plethora of fastbreak opportunities.

The Vikings certainly didn’t back down from the Chargers’ defensive prowess, however. Union Pines sophomore attacker and midfielder Adison Voltis made a valiant effort to get into position to score the ball throughout the game, coming close to making a couple of her attempted shots despite the constant disruption of Northwood’s defenders.

Voltis was able to help the Vikings avoid the first-half shutout by scoring the team’s first goal with 11:24 left in the half, cutting the game to 8-1 going into the first timeout of the game.

The onslaught of goals continued for the Chargers throughout the rest of the first half, with junior midfielder/attacker Sophia Cremeans, sophomore defender Ella Boecke, Costa and LaBerge all scoring one goal apiece to round out the first 25 minutes of play.

At the halftime break, Northwood held onto a convincing 13-1 lead.

Cremeans kept the momentum going for the Chargers by scoring early in the second half, but attention quickly shifted to the Vikings after Union Pines sophomore attacker Kaley Crawford scored after a missed free position shot.

Collins was able to keep the scoring for Northwood going, making a close goal after a pass to her from behind the goalie.

Moving the ball around and keeping the ball constantly in motion was another vital part of Northwood’s success against the Vikings. The Chargers finished the game with eight total assists as they showcased their team chemistry and understanding of the game.

“It was about unselfish play and a lot more movement,” Fritsche said about his team. “We were cutting more, moving more, making space, reading and reacting to make better decisions.”

Despite the fact that the Chargers continued to score throughout the second half, the Vikings were able to slow down Northwood some in the latter part of the game.

Union Pines goalie Izzy Bonillo played a huge role in stopping the Chargers on offense, putting up four saves in the first half, along with two in the second.

“Second half, we held them to half of what they had the first half, which I think is a win for a team,” said Union Pines Head Coach Todd Telemeco after the game, as illustrated by Northwood being held to just two goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half.

With the victory, the Chargers improve to 6-2 on the season and continue its fairly dominant campaign with a rematch against the Jordan Falcons (1-3) on Friday.