Perfect season ends with state spot on the line
Top-seeded Lakers fall 13-12 to second-seeded Apple Valley in title game
The Prior Lake girls lacrosse team's valiant comeback in the Section 6 title game June 7 ended with frustration.
The top-seeded Lakers rallied from four goals down late in the second half, only to watch second-seeded Apple Valley steal the moment in the final minute.
The Eagles scored with 30 seconds remaining, won the ensuing faceoff and ran out the time to pull off a 13-12 victory over Prior Lake at the Edina Community Center. Emma Vogelgesang scored the game-winner on a penalty shot.
It was Prior Lake's first loss of the season, finishing with a 15-1 overall mark (9-0 in the South Suburban Conference). Apple Valley also ended a seven-game losing streak against the Lakers.
Prior Lake had beaten Apple Valley (15-1) in the Section 6 final the last two years and had a 11-10 overtime win back on May 1 in SSC play.
The last win for the Eagles over the Lakers was in 2014, winning 18-17 in the regular season. Since then, four of their last seven games against each other have been decided by three goals or less.
Prior Lake was seeking a fourth straight section crown. If they would have gotten it, the Lakers would have been the No. 1 seed at state. Prior Lake has finished third, fourth and fifth at state, respectively, the last three springs.
Meanwhile, in the loss to Apple Valley, Prior Lake led 8-6 late in the first half, but the Eagles tallied with three seconds left before the break to cut the margin to one goal.
That goal likely gave the Eagles some momentum. They scored the first four goals of the second half, taking a 12-8 lead with a goal with just over 10 minutes to play.
But Prior Lake showed some championship pedigree fighting back. Ninth-grader Payton Bloedow scored her fourth goal of the game with just over five minutes to play.
Junior Ashtyn King followed with a goal 13 seconds later. Then it was junior Lauren Wick's turn as she scored 31 seconds after King's goal. All of a sudden, it was a one-goal game.
Sophomore Josie Kropp tied things up at 12-12 with a goal with Wick assisting. The Lakers had all the momentum for the final 2:31.
Prior Lake turned the ball over in the offensive end with about 40 seconds to go. Apple Valley was able to get the ball down the field and get the penalty call right in front of the net to convert the game-winner.
King and Wick both had two goals for the Lakers, while sophomore Dezirae Spratt and senior Lexi Peer each scored once. Junior Jordan Anderson had a goal and two assists, while senior Abby Muller chipped in an assist. Sophomore Grace Mattox made six saves in goal.
Seniors Molly Moynihan and Reagan Roelofs paced the Eagles' offense with six and five goals, respectively.
Prior Lake will graduate only four seniors from this year's team, Peer, Muller, Kelly Gleason and Erin Megarry. So expect the Lakers to be one of the state's elite programs again next spring.