LINWOOD – The regular season for the Mainland Regional High School girls lacrosse team has gone by smoothly as the red-hot Mustangs went on a nine-game win streak as their season reached the conference tournament. They made it 10 on Monday in the Cape-Atlantic League tournament semifinals.
In that ninth win, Mainland beat Triton Regional High School in a 19-4 rout May 14. Jade O’Neil did just about everything for the Mustangs, scoring four goals and assisting on four more to lead the team with eight points.
The win brought Mainland’s record to 13-3 and the No. 2 seed in the Cape-Atlantic League tournament this week. The only team seeded higher than the Mustangs is the team that beat them before their long winning streak began, the Ocean City Red Raiders. Ocean City won the first matchup 15-9 back on April 13, but both teams are looking ahead towards the CAL title game on May 21.
The Mustangs earned the chance to fight for the CAL crown on Monday, beating Cedar Creek (8-10) 16-3 behind four goals each from O’Neil and Lauren LaMonaca, two from Gabriela Guilen and one each from Sophia Blanco, Sydney Sykes, Callie Smith, Margaret Albert, Keelyn McLaughlin and Madison Meade.
After their ninth win in a row, asked about what fueled the Mustangs’ season so far, assistant coach Taylor Klever said, “The girls have been great and I must give credit to my sister. She keeps them all accountable and really brings everyone together. Our big thing this year has been playing together and as a team. We have been down a few times this season and I think the girls react and respond very well.”
Klever took over the head coaching duties against Triton after her sister, head coach Kelly Klever, came down with a stomach bug.
The Mustangs played a clean game with their coach missing and were in control from start to finish. Including O’Neil, the Mustangs had two other players score four times – juniors Guillen and Blanco. Blanco’s four elevated her season total to a team-leading 54 goals.
Right next to Blanco is another junior who is on pace to have the best season of her career. LaMonaca leads the team with a whopping 80 points so far this season with 52 goals and 28 assists. In the Triton game, LaMonaca got her piece of the pie early with 3 goals and 2 assists.
“You wouldn’t really know how many goals each of them has by just the way they play,” Taylor Klever said. “They are really selfless by trying to set up other people for success and helped them be successful.”
The great offense on one side of the field by Mainland has helped bring along freshman goalie Shayne Harrison on the defensive end. The Mustangs averaged an 11-goal differential in their last nine games, so they have kept the pressure off Harrison. She has done well along with the rest of the Mustangs throughout the regular season, but the CAL tournament and subsequent postseason will push the whole team to improve even more.
After the Cape-Atlantic League champion has been crowned Thursday, the Mustangs will prepare for the playoffs that begin the week of May 25. Mainland looks to receive a top four seed in the bracket with another game against Ocean City possible if both teams advance far enough.
At the start of the week, Ocean City led South Jersey Group III in Power Points after trading places with Moorestown. Mainland was No. 3 and Cherry Hill West No. 4.
– STORY by WILLIAM TRUITT/For the Sentinel
– PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
