MIDDLEBURY — The top-seeded Middlebury Union High School girls’ lacrosse team on Wednesday used balanced scoring and strong defense and goaltending to defeat No. 4 Rice, 13-3, in a Division I semifinal.
As expected, the 17-0 Tigers will meet 17-0 Mount Anthony, the second seed, in the D-I final. The Patriots in Wednesday’s other semifinal dismissed No. 6 seed Champlain Valley, 18-12.
The Tigers and Patriots did not play this spring, but the game will be a rematch of the 2016 final, won by the Patriots, 11-6. According to MUHS Athletic Director Sean Farrell the title game will be played on Monday at the University of Vermont, but as of early Thursday morning the time had not been set.
The Tigers will be seeking the program’s first title since 2008 and will be looking to snap the Tigers’ five-game losing streak in championship games since then, three played at Castleton University and two at Burlington High School.
Vs. Rice on Wednesday, four Tigers scored three goals apiece: Andi Boe, Kate Donahue, Isabel Rosenberg and Satchel McLaughlin. Boe also set up two goals, and Emily Laframboise added a goal and an assist. Tiger goalie Raven Payne stopped 10 of 13 Rice shots on goal. Lisa McNamara scored twice for Rice, and goalie Caroline Breen made four saves as the Green Knights finished 12-6.
At Mount Anthony, Avery Galle (five goals), Emily Altland (three goals and four assists) and Brianna Zipprich (three goals) led the Patriot attack vs. CVU (which finished the season 10-7), and goalie Carly Plaisance made 12 saves.