Girls State Lacrosse: Vero Beach clipped by Bartram Trail in state semifinal
NAPLES ⎯ The chance to return to championship will have to wait another year for the Vero Beach girls lacrosse team.
The Indians’ title drought will extend to 10 years following their 6-5 loss to Bartram Trail during a Class 2A state semifinal on Friday from the Paradise Coast Sports Complex in Naples.
Vero Beach was the No. 2 seed in the state bracket, while the Bears, the No. 3 seeded, earned their third consecutive state title the following day with a 10-8 victory over top-seeded Plant.
Trailing for most of the first half, the Indians went ahead just before halftime when Jazmyn Morris found a cutting Amelia Elliott to make it 4-3 heading into the break.
Girls State Lacrosse: Nine facts heading into Vero Beach's state semifinal Friday
After Bartram Trail tied it, they surged in front once more when Presley Carroll notched her second goal of the game with 3 minutes, 57 remaining. Vero Beach would be held off the scoreboard over the final 15:57 of regulation.
The Bears secured the lead thanks to an excellent 22-second stretch from Ryann Frechette. Scoring with 7 seconds left in the third quarter to tie the game, the senior attacker put her team in front after scooping up the draw, darting toward the cage and scoring once more 15 seconds into the fourth.
Vero Beach had one final chance to tie the match after the team was awarded a free-position shot with 20 seconds remaining. After passing out of the opportunity, the ball eventually found Carroll, who whipped in a shot, but was stopped by Madison Stevens to end the game.
Morris and Savina Magaro each contributed goals for the Indians, who finished with a 16-5 record this season. The program will only lose two players to graduation in goalie Paige Medlin and defender Bryce Forrest.
Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for Treasure Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at (772) 985-9692, on X at @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: State Lacrosse: Vero Beach girls' title dreams end against Bartram Trail
