Recap: 7 Athletes contribute goals as Team Apuzzo sweeps win points
SPARKS, Md. — New week, same dominance for Team Apuzzo.
Led by two goals from four different players, Team Apuzzo secured all 125 win points and earned the first victory of Week Two with a 12-6 dismantling of Team Johansen in Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse action at USA Lacrosse Headquarters on Thursday afternoon.
Attacker Sam Apuzzo’s squad claimed 11-of-12 quarters during the opening week and the success kept going in Thursday’s opener as Team Apuzzo swept the four quarters, including a 4-0 blanking in the final frame, to post the second win point sweep of the season.
Midfielder Ally Mastroianni turned in an impressive showing with a season-high 200 leaderboard points. In addition to earning MVP 3 honors, the former North Carolina standout scored two goals, scooped up two ground balls, gained four draw controls and tallied three caused turnovers.
Apuzzo, meanwhile, continued her strong play by racking up 183 leaderboard points after scoring twice with a ground ball and a caused turnover in addition to securing the game’s MVP 2 designation.
Midfielder Katie O’Donnell and attacker Charlotte North each added two goals in the victory for Team Apuzzo, which outshot Team Johansen by a 30-21 margin.
Rookie attacker Lauren Gilbert paced Team Johansen in the loss with three goals while defender Katrina Geiger notched a team-high 53 leaderboard points, including the game’s MVP 1 award.
KEY MOMENT
With the score tied at 6-all, Team Apuzzo registered the final six points of the contest while holding Team Johansen scoreless for the final 14-plus minutes. North’s two-point goal with 2:33 left in the third quarter gave Team Apuzzo an 8-6 lead the squad did not concede.
LEADERBOARD IMPACT
Apuzzo’s 183 points moved her into the top spot on the leaderboard with 650 points. Meanwhile, defender Lizzie Colson rose four spots into the No. 4 position following her 143-point performance.
GAME NOTES
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Apuzzo, Sam Geiersbach and Colson now stand 15-1 in quarter wins this season and have won their last 13 quarters in a row … The lone quarter setback came in the third frame during the July 21 opener against Team Glynn.
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Goalkeeper Mira Shane made her season debut in the win over Team Johansen, making three saves in the second half.
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Apuzzo has now scored a goal in 19 consecutive games after her two-goal effort.
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North and midfielder Amanda Johansen each scored their third two-point goal of the season in Thursday’s opener.
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Attacker Nicole Levy has a goal in 16 straight outings after scoring an unassisted marker with 18 seconds left in the first quarter.
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Defender Ella Simkins scored her first goal of the season with 4:48 remaining in the first half … Simkins led all defenders with three goals during the inaugural season last summer.
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Team Apuzzo held a 15-13 advantage in ground balls and an 11-9 edge in draw controls.
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Gilbert now has two hat tricks in her four outings this season after opening the year with a four-goal performance against Team Glynn last Thursday.
GAME MVPS
- #1 – Katrina Geiger (Team Johansen, +45)
- #2 – Sam Apuzzo (Team Apuzzo, +30)
- #3 – Ally Mastroianni (Team Apuzzo, +15)
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