Avon’s Hannah Davey puts the pressure on Granby’s Kathy Kleis in Thursday’s NCCC Tournament final.
SUFFIELD – Midway through the second half, Granby High girls lacrosse coach Terri Zimnicki urged her Bears to believe they could beat the Avon High girls lacrosse team. After all, Granby scored 15 goals in both regular season losses to the Falcons – the second highest number of goals that Avon allowed in a single game this season.
And the Bears held leads in Thursday’s NCCC Tournament championship game, including a one-goal lead at haltime.
But top-ranked Avon allowed only three goals in the second half to outlast a pesky Granby squad, 14-12. The Falcons, who won the NCCC championship this season with a perfect 10-0 record, took home the tournament title for the third straight season.
“Granby played much better than we did in the first half and we were lucky to be down by a goal,” Avon coach Sean Cole said. “We played better in the second half. But we haven’t played as well as we against Hand (last Friday, a 14-11 victory). We’re capable of playing much better.”
Avon trailed by one, 9-8 at haltime but scored three of the first four goals of the second half to take command of the contest with a 12-10 lead.
Twice, Granby was able to cut the lead to two. Olivia Johnson scored with 5:07 remaining to trim the Avon lead to 13-11. But Avon’s Emma Cohen scored her third goal to extend the lead to two about a minute later. Johnson scored again with 3:46 remaining to cut the lead to two, 14-12 but Avon was able to run out the clock.
Forward Britt Douglas led the Falcons with five goals while Hannah Davey added four. Granby received a game-high six goals from Johnson, who scored Granby’s final four goals of the contest.
Avon goalie Paige Hammick was named the tournament MVP after stopping 14 shots in net. Granby goalie Hala VanNostrand made six saves.
“Granby played much better than we did in the first half and we were lucky to be down by a goal,” Avon coach Sean Cole said. “We played better in the second half. But we haven’t played as well as we against Hand (last Friday, a 14-11 victory). We’re capable of playing much better.”
Granby coach Terri Ziemnicki said that Johnson was the best player on the field. “We came out fired up and we played aggressively the whole game,” she said. “The difference was that we made a few costly mistakes, turned the ball over and they capitalized.”
Granby earned the No. 4 seed in the upcoming Class S tournament and hosts Morgan on Tuesday. Avon is the No. 1 seed in the Class M tournament and on Tuesday hosts the winner of Sunday’s game between Bacon Academy and Watertown.
Avon celebrates the NCCC Tournament championship.
Avon 14, Granby 12
At Suffield
Granby (14-4) 9 3 — 12
Avon (15-2) 8 6 — 14
Goals: Avon – Emma Cohen 3, Hannah Davey 4, Britt Douglass 5, Sammy Maniatty, Abby Welch; Granby – Molly Freedman 2, Katie Calnen Krista Iwanicki 2, Abby Orosz, Olivia Johnson 6; Assists: Avon – Cohen, Douglass; Granby – Iwanicki 2, Johnson 2; Saves – Paige Hammick (A) 14, Hala Van Nostrand (G) 6
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