Sam Apuzzo, Meg Douty

Recap: North earns 198 leaderboard points with go-ahead 2-pointer

© Athletes Unlimited, LLC 2022 / Credit: Krystina Brown
Eric Rhew
Jul 31, 2022

SPARKS, Md. — Another day and another late comeback by Team Apuzzo.

After falling behind by a 5-3 margin to Team Arsenault early in the fourth quarter, the squad ran off four straight goals, including a two-point tally by rookie attacker Charlotte North, to complete a perfect 3-0 week with an 8-5 victory to begin Sunday’s Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse doubleheader at USA Lacrosse Headquarters.

The win allowed team captain Sam Apuzzo to complete her second straight 3-0 week. Meanwhile, Team Arsenault concludes its Week Two slate with a 1-2 record.

North, who leads the league with 25 points, registered her third hat trick in six games with a three-goal performance, including the eventual game-winning marker. The former Boston College star also claimed MVP 1 honors and finished with a season-high 198 leaderboard points.

Goalkeeper Kady Glynn was also stellar in Team Apuzzo’s comeback win, anchoring a defensive unit that conceded just four goals. The former Loyola Maryland performer notched 11 saves, including six in the second half, and claimed MVP 3 distinction while posting 194 points.

Four different players scored a goal in the loss for Team Arsenault, while goalkeeper Caylee Waters tallied nine saves.

KEY MOMENT

Team Apuzzo scored the game’s final four goals in a span of 5 minutes, 39 seconds to claim the three-point victory. Midfielder Ally Mastroianni started the run with an unassisted marker before North’s back-to-back tallies gave the squad a 7-5 edge. Defender Sydney Pirreca capped the scoring with her first goal of the year with 2:21 remaining.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Apuzzo moved into the overall lead with 965 points, while defender Lizzie Colson surged up the leaderboard 11 spots and stands third in the league standings ahead of Sunday’s Week Two finale between Team Johansen and Team Moreno. Glynn also made a strong move on the leaderboard, rising 12 positions to No. 4.

GAME NOTES

  • Apuzzo failed to score a goal for the first time in her Athletes Unlimited career, snapping a streak of 20 consecutive games … She did record an assist in the fourth quarter to run her point-scoring streak to 21 games in a row.

  • The 13 combined points scored by Team Apuzzo and Team Arsenault are tied for the fourth-fewest points in a game in league history … The lowest combined point total in Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse history is 12 points, which has occurred three times.

  • The five points scored by Team Arsenault are the fewest in a game by a team since Aug. 22, 2021, when Team Cummings limited Team Waters to just five points in a 7-5 verdict to end the inaugural season.

  • Team Arsenault outshot Team Apuzzo by a 30-26 count and owned a 14-13 advantage in ground balls … Team Arsenault also claimed an 8-7 edge on draw controls.

  • Apuzzo, Colson and rookie attacker Sam Geiersbach all closed the week with perfect 6-0 records.

GAME MVPS

  • #1 – Charlotte North (Team Apuzzo, +45)
  • #2 – Sam Apuzzo (Team Apuzzo, +30)
  • #3 – Kady Glynn (Team Apuzzo, +15)