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Sussex Academy girls’ lax slips past Dover 12-11 

Seahawks go three men down in second half
May 21, 2021

The Dover at Sussex Academy opening-round state tournament game May 20 featured two 12-3 teams backed up by strong goaltending from Dover’s Regan Torbert and the Seahawks’ Peyton Hagy. 

The Seahawks won 12-11 on a free position shot by Bella Guckes with 13 seconds remaining on the clock. Sussex Academy will face Cape in a quarterfinal matchup at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 22, at Champions Stadium.

The Senators’ Superia Clark had six goals in the game, which was matched by Bella Guckes of the Seahawks with six goals of her own.

The Seahawks were whistled for six yellow cards in the game and were three players down with the score tied at 11-11, when Clark scored on a free position shot with under two minutes remaining. The goal was waved off by an official for a crease violation, and possession was awarded to the Seahawks.

“We couldn’t hold the ball or win a draw,” said Dover coach Molly Phillips. 

Dover led the game 6-5 at the half and 9-6 with 16:03 left to play. 

The Seahawks came back to tie the game at 9-9, but Dover responded with a pair of goals to lead 11-9 with 8:12 remaining and two players up the rest of the game.

But Shelby Manlove on draw control with Guckes and Sanne Elling converting goals tied the game at 11-11. 

The winning goal with 13 seconds remaining and subsequent draw win saw the clock wind down to zero and the first student storming of the field following the first state tournament win in the young history of the Seahawks’ lacrosse program.

The Seahawks had 24 shots, with Torbert making five saves.

Hagy faced 20 Dover shots and made eight saves. 

Goal scorers for Sussex Academy were Guckes with six, Elling with three, Manlove with two and Macy Steinwedel with one. 

Dover goals were scored by Clark with six, Ashtyn Torbert with three and Kyleigh Dill with one. 

Quarterfinal games to be played Saturday, May 22 include Caravel at Tatnall, Archmere at Wilmington Friends, Sussex Academy at Cape Henlopen and Tower Hill at Ursuline. 

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