MOLLY FORREST led Wakefield’s attack with 6 goals and 2 assists in their win over Medford yesterday. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
MEDFORD — The Wakefield High girls’ lacrosse team traveled to Medford High yesterday on a mission to return to the win column after their last three games ended in hard-fought losses to Woburn (14-9 on April 12), Lynnfield (12-10 on April 17) and Waltham (16-11 on April 18).
The Warriors completed that mission and improved to 2-5 on the season with a resounding 19-5 victory over the Mustangs.
Junior Molly Forrest led the attack in this one with 6 goals and 2 assists while senior captain Katherine Taylor added 3 goals and 2 assists.
Forrest put up 5 goals in the first half as the Warriors took a commanding 11-3 lead into halftime and never looked back.
“It was good to have the whole team back together,” said head coach Cara Luca as Wakefield competed against Lynnfield and Waltham without a full roster due to April Vacation trips. “We were able to move the ball well and look for open cutters.”
Wakefield’s attack was certainly in top gear all day as they also got 2 goals and an assist from junior Juliana Spaulding, 2 goals from senior captain Molly Berinato and 2 goals from junior Lea Carangelo. Wakefield got single tallies from juniors Kyleigh Formicola, Corinne Dunlap and Julia Welch as well as sophomore Abby Myette. Junior Megan Cataldo and sophomore Ally Bligh added assists.
Wakefield’s defense held strong led by junior Alexa Kelliher, sophomore Maddy Taylor, freshman Emma Ickes, Carangelo, Spaulding and Forrest among others.
Wakefield’s two junior goalies each played a half as Sofia Macaluso started the first and MacKenzie Grace played the second, each collecting multiple saves.
“Both goalies got to see playing time and came up with great saves,” said Luca.
Macaluso made two in a row in front to maintain a 4-1 lead in the first. Grace’s best came on a free shot by Medford in the second half.
Meanwhile, Wakefield’s attack certainly came to play, scoring four goals in the first five minutes. Taylor got the first in front off a nice dish from Cataldo. A Carangelo groundball and carry into the offensive zone led to a smart finish up top for a 2-0 advantage. Forrest scored two in a row, first on an easy carry and finish, then on a free shot.
After Medford got one back, Spaulding finished a nice find from Taylor and the roles reversed later as Taylor scored off a Spaulding feed to make it 7-2.
Formicola made it 8-2 and Forrest’s 4th and 5th goals were two of her best, first jetting around the entire defense to make it 9-2, then firing one top-shelf off another pass from Taylor to make it 10-2.
A Maddy Taylor clear to Bligh resulted in Katherine Taylor’s third of the game, ending Wakefield’s first-half statement with a strong, team-first play.
“Medford played hard but we played as a group and had one of our better offensive games of the season,” said Luca.
The Warriors will look to keep it going on Wednesday when they travel to Wilmington (0-8) at 4:15 p.m.