Monomoy Girls Lacrosse Runs Out Of Time In State Tournament

NORTH READING – To head coach Brendan Pursel, the Monomoy girls lacrosse team didn’t lose. They just ran out of time.

That message, coupled with the team’s sense of togetherness, might have made the Sharks’ 16-7 loss to North Reading last Friday in the first round of the Division 4 state tournament especially tough.

“When we go into the tournament, we always talk about ‘We don’t win because we want to win, we win because we don’t want to say goodbye,’” Pursel said. “So the first tournament game, having to say goodbye is hard.”

No. 16 seed North Reading (10-8) managed an early 2-1 lead in the first quarter and then grew the deficit from there against No. 17 seed Monomoy (12-6).

Playing about 100 miles from Harwich, the Sharks clawed back to within four at the beginning of the second half, but North Reading then scored three quick goals. 

“We definitely fought hard,” senior captain Cassadi Manchuk said. “It’s been a good season.”

Junior Tessa Grodzicki scored four goals for Monomoy. Manchuk, junior Abrielle Long and sophomore Kapka Thompson each added one. 

“I just wanted to move on in the tournament, and that’s what I was fighting for, to just try to keep scoring goals to just get the game up and hoping that we could pull out a win,” Grodzicki said.

The team will graduate several seniors, including Manchuk, captain Lucy Bates, captain Paige Nash, Sophia Cohrs, Maya Flaherty, Aubrie Schneeberger and manager Sophia Milan.

“It’s sad because we all love each other so much that the end of the season, when we lose so many seniors that have made this program how it is, that’s the hardest part,” Pursel said. 

Nash said the team was their “second family,” while Grodzicki said they weren’t “just teammates.”

“We all really loved each other, and it’s really upsetting,” Grodzicki said. 

Bates said she was proud of her teammates.

“I think everyone filled their roles really well, and I’m proud of each and every single person on the team,” she said.