Recap: Johansen closes out Week 2 with win, hangs on to captain spot
SPARKS, Md. — Team Johansen headed into its Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse matchup against Team Moreno on Sunday afternoon with hopes of securing a victory to end its Week Two schedule.
Using a strong defensive effort, Team Johansen surged out to a 9-3 lead and held off a late comeback to secure an 11-6 victory over Team Moreno in the final game of the league’s second week at USA Lacrosse Headquarters.
Defenders Caroline Wakefield and Becca Block combined to register three ground balls and three caused turnovers to anchor a Team Johansen defense that limited Team Moreno to just three goals in the opening 30 minutes. Wakefield was named MVP 1 for her efforts and finished with 178 leaderboard points, while Block secured MVP 2 distinction en route to claiming 172 leaderboard points.
Four different players scored two goals to pace the offensive effort for Team Johansen, which outshot Team Moreno by a 29-23 margin.
Team Moreno’s five goals were scored by five different players, including a two-point marker by midfielder Jill Girardi. Goalkeeper Taylor Moreno notched 12 saves in the loss.
KEY MOMENT
Team Johansen used a 6-1 run during the middle quarters to take a 9-3 lead it did not relinquish. After midfielder Lindsey McKone evened the score at 3-all early in the second quarter, Team Johansen ran off six consecutive goals to spark the outburst.
LEADERBOARD IMPACT
As a result of earning MVP 3 honors, midfielder Amanda Johansen moved into the No. 4 position on the leaderboard and will serve as a captain for the second straight week. Moreno, meanwhile, will hold the top spot on the leaderboard for the second straight week. Attacker Sam Apuzzo and defender Lizzie Colson will be the other captains for Week Three.
GAME NOTES
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Moreno has posted double-digit saves in each of her last five outings after notching 12 stops on Sunday afternoon.
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After having her 16-game goal scoring streak snapped on Saturday, attacker Nicole Levy responded by scoring twice in the win over Team Moreno.
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Team Johansen put 23 of its 29 shots on goal in the victory.
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Team Johansen held a 13-7 advantage in draw controls and owned a 12-11 edge in ground balls.
GAME MVPS
- #1 – Caroline Wakefield (Team Johansen, +45)
- #2 – Becca Block (Team Johansen, +30)
- #3 – Amanda Johansen (Team Johansen, +15)
