For a while yesterday the outcome of the game between No. 3 Loch Raven and No. 13 Dulaney lacrosse girls teams appeared uncertain.

But it ended with Loch Raven winning, 11-7, cruising to its seventh straight Baltimore County championship and 20th in the past 22 years.

Loch Raven will open the Class 1A-2A South Region playoffs at home on Friday against Chesapeake. Dulaney opens the Class 3A-4A South Region playoffs that day against a yet undetermined foe.

In yesterday's match, Dulaney (12-1) was quick to press Loch Raven (12-0). Aimee Vaughan (four goals, one assist) scored off the draw just 11 seconds into the game, and the Lions went on to take a 4-2 lead on a Vaughan goal with 14:15 left in the half.

"They were tentative," said Loch Raven coach Wendy Galinn of her team. "I was concerned."

But Loch Raven slowly worked its way out of trouble. The Raiders, who got two early goals from Heather Kormanik (three goals), scored six straight goals and shut out Dulaney for the next 29:04.

Alison Jones (two goals) and Gia Trionfo (two goals) started the run with goals 23 seconds apart to tie the game at four. Mary Edwards and Lauren Volk each scored to give the Raiders a 6-4 halftime lead. Trionfo scored the first goal of the second half, and Jones stretched the lead to four off a nice pass from Robyn Harry (one goal, three assists).

Dulaney gave Loch Raven trouble early by pressuring all over the field. The Lions, sparked by Vaughan, also won most of the draws and kept possession for a good part of the first half. Vaughan also repeatedly sliced through the Loch Raven defense in that half.

But Loch Raven began putting more pressure on Dulaney after

TC the Lions won draws. Soon the Lions began committing turnovers, and the Raiders went to a settled offense.