Queen Anne's girls lacrosse team had a lot of motivation going into Friday night's state semifinals after falling by a single goal in last year's semifinals. Loch Raven found that out in a hurry.
Less than four minutes into the game, Queen Anne's had a 5-1 lead and they cruised to a 17-4 victory in the Class 2A-1A semifinals at Bel Air behind six goals and five assists from senior midfielder Kallie German, all in the first half.
The Raiders (9-7) had hoped to get back to the title game for the first time since 2011, but they had trouble just getting possession in the first half as the Lions (16-4) won 12 of the first 17 draws and worked the settled offense.
"We are playing against a team that has a lot more numbers," Loch Raven first-year coach Artie Spruill said of a Lions roster of 30 girls while she had 19 players.
"We started out with about 15 girls this season. They got size, they got speed. I am sure their girls played together for years. They have that connection and chemistry, which is phenomenal."
The Lions ended a run of five straight wins for the Raiders, who defeated Pikesville, 20-11, in the regional final. Loch Raven, which won four state titles in the 1990s, reached the semifinals for the eight straight time and the 17th time in the 26 years of the state tournament. Only Mount Hebron, with 20 appearances, has been to the state tournament more than Loch Raven.
The Lions, however, are gunning for their first state championship and they will meet the winner of the late semifinal, between defending champion and No. 2 Manchester Valley and Southern, of Anne Arundel County, for the crown Tuesday or Wednesday night at Stevenson University in Owings Mills.
Last season, Queen Anne's fell to Manchester Valley, 9-8, in the semifinal. In their second trip to the title game in four years, the Lions aim to become the first team from outside the Baltimore metropolitan counties – Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard – to win a girls lacrosse state championship in any classification.
Friday night, German, who has 65 goals and 45 assists this season, got the Lions off to a quick start, assisting Hanna Scott and then racing down to score off the next draw control. Loch Raven's Lindsey Wagner stalled the Lions momentum by cutting the lead to 3-1, but Queen Anne's scored five straight to take a 7-1 lead on Taylor Blick's goal on a feed from Scott with 17:44 to go.
Wagner scored again with 16:02 left before halftime, but the Lions finished the half with seven straight goals, kicking in the running clock for a 10-goal lead with 5:02 left in the half.
Lexi Tan cut the margin to 14-3 to start the second half, but the Lions scored three straight as the game finished quickly with the clock running the rest of the way.
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Baltimore Sun Media Group reporter Tom Worgo contributed to this article.
Queen Anne's 17, Loch Raven 4
Goals: QA—German 6, Scott 4, Ascione 4, T.Blick 2, Draper; LR—Wagner 2, Tan, Dodd. Assists: QA—German 5, Scott 3; LR—none. Saves: QA—Baker 1; Karbaum 4; LR—Sawicki 5. Half: QA, 14-2.