AMONG THE seniors graduating on the MHS girls’ lacrosse team is senior Lucy Clark. (Dan Murphy, murphymediagroup.org)
East Longmeadow beats Melrose in D2 Sweet 16 play
By JENNIFER GENTILE
EAST LONGMEADOW—The joyride season for the Melrose High girls’ lacrosse team ended in Round of 16 play in the Div. 2 playoffs on Wednesday, May 5, when No. 11 Melrose fell to No. 6 East Longmeadow (16-4) on the road by a score of 18-9.
Melrose finishes their excellent season with an impressive record of 13-6, following an opening playoff win over Mansfield.
It was a competitive game against a good-as-advertised East Longmeadow Spartan team (who, at press time, missed a chance to advance to Final Four action by falling to Walpole on Monday) nonetheless they posed a challenge for Melrose from the outset.
“They were a skilled and physical team,” said Melrose head coach Alicia Geiter. “They’re a great program and it shows. We fought for everything and contested a lot, even if the score doesn’t reflect that.”
While Melrose enjoyed an array of scorers (officially led by Chloe Arnold with two goals) they faced an uphill battle against East Longmeadow’s Meghan Mourneau and Keneday Marino who combined to lead the day in scoring for the Spartans, who took a quick 2-0 lead just 49 seconds into the game. When Melrose got their first offensive opportunity, they made the most of it when junior Jill Frawley hit the top corner for a goal to score for Melrose and make it a game at 2-1. While Mourneau and Marino added goals to help the Spartans extend their lead, Melrose’s Anna Matthews put one away to make the score 7-2 at the end of the first.
“We came out a little soft,” says Geiter. “I think the girls were too focused on what [East Longmeadow] was doing rather than playing their own game. We made that adjustment in the second half and it was a battle. I’m proud of how the girls played even to the very end. They had beautiful goals and held their own against a high caliber team. If we can put up 9 against a team like that then we should be taken seriously.”
Melrose’s younger players continued to find the net in the second half, starting with Lauren Healy and Anna Matthews. Melrose battled back offensively in the second half, keeping the Spartans on their toes, thanks to seniors Alison Doherty and Lucy Clark who added to the mix in the scoring to narrow the game 14-6 and 15-7, finding a route up the middle that exposed a defensive weakness for East Longmeadow. Melrose’s last goal, a direct shot by freshman Lauren Healy, impressed. “It was a good shot,” notes Geiter. “Lauren has become such a great player for us and will most definitely make impact in the coming years.”
THE MELROSE High girls’ lacrosse team were the last MHS spring team standing after advancing past Mansfield to earn an appearance in the Sweet 16 field. They fell to East Longmeadow to finish their season 13-6. (Raj Das photo, edphotos.com)
Melrose defense, including senior goalie Sophia Hitchman, paved the way in the second half with an effort that impressed the coach. “It’s hard to pull yourself out of a headspace like the first half especially if you are a defender or goalie,” she says. “We came back in the second half and gave them a run for their money. We figured some things out that the team was trying to do offensively and adjusted. Kiera Brophy came up with big stops when we needed them, and Alex [Leeman] and Emily [Lucien] were directing the show with great communication. Kayla [Good] always gets a stick on shots. We love a lefty!”
Melrose has much to be proud of this season, with a small sized senior group that advanced to Sweet 16 in a tough bracket. There is no reason to expect a slowdown in momentum, so prepare for a talented team to return in 2025. “I don’t think this game defined our season,” says the coach. “People can look at scores and come to whatever conclusion they want. We know our strengths and we will continue to build off those. We also know our areas of weakness. Melrose lacrosse is on the rise.”
Melrose graduates four seniors who have been on the team for the long haul. They include captains Sophia Hitchman, Alison Doherty, Lucy Clark and Emily Lucien.
“There are not enough words I could give them. Thank you. We love you!” says their coach. “These girls made such huge impact on our team and community. I hope the younger girls learned from our seniors. I’m excited to see all the great things they will do in the world. I will always be in their corner cheering them on.”
Despite losing such upper-class leadership, Melrose returns some serious starting talent including leading scorer Chloe Arnold and returning multi-talent Jill Frawley. “Chloe set a single season scoring record for Melrose High, as a freshman no less. And Jill Frawley is right there behind her in scoring.” Frawley impressed the entire league and was recently named to the All Conference All Star list along with fellow All Stars Sophia Hitchman, Alison Doherty and Lucy Clark.
Another player who is sure to make a difference in 2025 includes Anna Matthews, who worked hard on the draw game against East Longmeadow. “Anna Matthews really shined offensively with her goals and assists.”
One player that will leave a hole on the team surely is senior captain Sophia Hitchman, their four-year goalie. Her replacement will have big cleats to fill. “Sophia was a great leader off and on the field. She is extremely levelheaded and a great captain for the last two years. To know Sophia Hitchman is to know the best and And, I’m also excited for our younger goalies to grow into this role.”
After her first official season as head coach at Melrose, Geiter can only file this season away as a big success. She offered some reflection on the winning and joyful season Melrose experienced.
“I savored our wins and really mourned our losses. It’s a team effort that I wouldn’t have been able to do if it wasn’t for Lily Cunningham, Mike Doherty, and Katie Tighe. I’m so thankful for their time and wisdom and taking lead when needed. Thank you to the school and admin that gave me this shot. Thank you to the parents for trusting me with your daughters. Thank you to the girls for going along with anything we threw at them. It was a historic season with historic wins and, while it didn’t end the way we wanted, we still have so much to be proud of. Let’s keep building.”
