Cape advances to girls’ lax state title game
The Cape girls’ lacrosse team ran a pair of 10-2 halves at Sussex Academy May 23 at Delaware State University’s Memorial Stadium in the semifinals of the DIAA state tournament, winning 20-4 to advance to the state championship game May 25 against the Tatnall Hornets.
Tatnall beat Archmere 21-6 in the other semifinal game.
The Sussex Academy crowd was large and loud in the first half. Cape jumped ahead 4-0, but Sussex Academy responded with goals by Callie Short and Emiley Bisaha to tighten the game at 4-2.
Cape responded with a romp to the running clock, outscoring the Seahawks 6-0 to close out the half.
Cape goalie Anna Lopez, who has been locked in all season, recorded 10 saves in the game, while her freshman sister Claire scored five goals.
Lulu Rishko scored a game-high seven goals, while Macy Steinwedel, Carrie Clausius and Lexi Truitt each scored two. Lexi Nowakowski and Grace Wiggins each added a single goal.
Bisaha scored two for the Seahawks, while single goals were added by Short and Shea Danahy.
Goalkeeper Morgan Leeper had six saves for the Seahawks.
Notes - Cape won its 42nd consecutive playoff game and 176th straight game against Delaware opponents. Former Cape coach P.J. Kesmodel was quoted as saying, “The semifinal was the hardest round; once reaching the finals, the pressure was off.” Cape beat Saint Mark’s in the 2009 semifinals 9-8 and Tower Hill in the 2010 semifinal 9-8. Cape beat Ursuline 10-5 in 2017, breaking open a game tied 4-4 at the half. Cape faces Tatnall in the finals for the third consecutive year, having won 17-10 in 2021 and 16-4 in 2022. Cape is now 16-1 on the season, with the lone loss coming at Severna Park (Md.) 10-8. Tatnall is also 16-1, with the loss coming at Episcopal Academy (Pa.) 14-4. Sussex Academy, coached by Taylor Gibbs, closed out the season 12-5.
Editor’s note: The championship game was held after deadline for this print edition. See full coverage at www.capegazette.com and in the Tuesday, May 30 edition.
