A depleted Nation Ford lacrosse team, battling injuries and fatigue, put up a valiant effort but ultimately fell 13-9 to Ballantyne Ridge in a hard-fought contest.
The Falcons started strong, taking a 4-1 lead after the first quarter with goals from players numbered Ava Tettambel, Sarah Kinley and Caitlyn Stolarek. Canaan Ross extended the lead to 5-1 early in the second quarter, marking her second goal of the night. However, Ballantyne Ridge responded, narrowing the gap to 5-2.
A penalty shot goal by Nation Ford’s Kinley, her second of the game, pushed the lead to 6-2. But Ballantyne Ridge continued to fight back, scoring twice to make it 6-4 midway through the second quarter. Nation Ford’s response forced Ballantyne into a timeout, with Ross completing her hat trick to extend the lead. The first half ended with Nation Ford leading 8-5.
Tettambel opened the second half with a goal, pushing Nation Ford’s lead to 9-5. However, the effects of injuries and a short bench began to take their toll. Ballantyne Ridge capitalized, scoring three unanswered goals to close the gap to 9-8 by the end of the third quarter.
Ballantyne Ridge tied the game at 9 with 8:13 remaining in the fourth quarter and then took the lead, 10-9, at the 7:14 mark. They continued to press, extending their lead to 11-9 and then 12-9 with less than five minutes remaining. Nation Ford struggled with face-offs throughout the game, expending significant energy on defense.
Despite their efforts, Nation Ford couldn’t overcome Ballantyne Ridge’s momentum. Ballantyne Ridge secured a 13-9 victory.
The Nation Ford team, now 0-3 on the season, will look to bounce back when they travel to face River Bluff on Monday night.
