Mariemont Girls Lacrosse Falls to St. Francis DeSales in State Semifinals Thriller

The Mariemont girls lacrosse team's quest for a state championship concluded with a dramatic 14-13 defeat against St. Francis DeSales in the OHSAA Division II state semifinals. The match, held at Centerville's Alumni Stadium on Wednesday, June 3, saw St. Francis DeSales secure the victory with a goal in the final minute of play.

This marked Mariemont's first appearance in the state Final Four since 2022, a season in which they won back-to-back state titles. The loss brought an end to a successful season for the Greater Cincinnati programs.

Heartbreak in the Final Minute

Mariemont's head coach, Kevin Ferry, expressed the team's disappointment after the emotional contest. "It's hard. Only one team at the end of the season gets to end with a win," Ferry stated. "You put so much into it. You want them to put everything they have into the game. When you do that, it's only natural that when it doesn't go your way at the end, that all comes spilling out."

The decisive moment came with just 33.9 seconds remaining when Caroline Cross, a Butler University commit, scored the game-winning goal for St. Francis DeSales. This goal came shortly after Mariemont had tied the game at 13-13 with 1:22 left on a goal by Nellie Deeter. Mariemont had one final opportunity to equalize, but Deeter's penalty shot was saved by DeSales' sophomore goalie Mackenzie Kitchen, sealing the win for the Stallions.

"Honestly, I didn't watch it. I turned around," said DeSales head coach Joe Finotti. "I just wanted to go with the roar of the crowd. It was a pleasant surprise."

Back-and-Forth Battle

The semifinal match was a tightly contested affair between two strong programs. Mariemont initially took a 4-2 lead early in the second quarter. However, St. Francis DeSales responded with a significant 6-2 run over the final nine-plus minutes of the first half, taking an 8-6 lead into halftime. Campbell Heald scored twice during this run for DeSales, with additional goals from Cross, Lillie Bogan, and M.C. Willison.

Throughout the second half, DeSales held two-goal leads on multiple occasions, but Mariemont consistently answered back. Nellie Deeter led Mariemont with five goals, while Piper Farrell and Demaree Vianello each contributed two goals.

Coaches' Respect

Despite the intense rivalry, a mutual respect was evident between the coaching staffs. "I respect the hell out of Kevin (Ferry)," Finotti commented. "We've been battling each other, I think, since 2015. We've won some; they've won some. He's a great coach. I wish nothing but the best for their program."

Ferry echoed the sentiment, highlighting the team's core value of "grit" and expressing pride in his players' effort.

Season Recap and Program Growth

Mariemont's season concluded with a 19-3 record. The Warriors had been on a 12-game winning streak entering the state Final Four, with their last loss prior to the semifinal coming against St. Francis DeSales in April. The team's senior class, including Olivia Riportella, Jane Muller, Emma Dorsten, Charlotte Soller, Caroline Pember, and Lily Billups, was recognized for their leadership and contributions.

"Such great leadership and great examples. I don’t get to keep the kids. I have to let them graduate, but I want to keep a little bit of them here every year," Ferry said. "I want the girls to leave a little bit of what they’ve learned from the girls who came before them so that as a program we continue to grow and mature."

Over the past four seasons, Mariemont has achieved a combined record of 59-20. The program has consistently been competitive, experiencing an overtime regional championship loss in 2023 and reaching the regional semifinals in the two seasons prior to this year's regional title run. Ferry believes the program is in a strong position for future success. "I feel like we're consistently competitive, but it was good to get back to this game. I feel like this is where we belong," Ferry said. "We're always graduating seniors we love and we're gonna miss them dearly, but I feel like as a program, we're in a good place. Each time you come back to this, the program grows and becomes more confident and develops a little more swagger. It becomes that much more of a drive to get here again."

St. Francis DeSales, now with a 21-1 record, will advance to face Bay Village Bay in the Division II state championship game on Sunday, June 7, at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus. DeSales is aiming for a three-peat, having previously won state titles in 2016, 2019, and 2024.

Datos clave
| Team | Score | Result |
|—|—|—|
| Mariemont | 13 | Loss |
| St. Francis DeSales | 14 | Win |

This development matters to NationalSportsWeb readers as it highlights a significant outcome in high school girls lacrosse, featuring competitive play and the conclusion of a strong season for a local team with a history of success.

Fuente: Yahoo Sports, https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/mariemont-girls-lacrosse-falls-st-042658123.html

Datos clave