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By Michael Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
After earning the No. 6 seed in Division I South, the Wellesley High School varsity lacrosse team took on No. 11 Mansfield (12-7) at Darcey Field on Saturday afternoon in the first-round of the MIAA State Tournament.
Led by senior attack-man and Skidmore College commit Brennan Conroy, the Raiders (14-5) jumped out to a big seven-goal lead and hung on by a final of 10-9 to advance to the quarterfinals.
Both teams traded a pair goals to open up the game, as it was 2-2 midway through the first. Following a big stick save and clearing pass by goaltender and Penn State commit Teddy Darcey, the Raiders got the ball to senior captain and Amherst College commit Grant Chryssicas, who rushed up the field on a one-man clear and set up shop in the Mansfield end for the Raider offense to go to work. With 2:24 remaining, Brennan Conroy netted his first goal of the afternoon on a rip from seven yards out to give the Raiders a 3-2 lead at the end of one.
The second quarter was all Wellesley, thanks to their dominance on time of possession, as the Raiders went on a 5-1 run. Conroy added two more goals in the second frame, with one coming off a dodge and finish up high, and one when the Skidmore commit took a pass on the edge of the crease from Chris Aitken, dove and finished low. Chryssicas would also add a goal on a right-handed missile from 11 yards out as part of the five-goal outburst by the Raiders, giving Wellesley a commanding five-goal lead at the half at 8-3.
The Raiders kept up their strong play to begin the second half, as Darcey was lights out in net and Wellesley able to add another pair of goals to extend their lead to 10-3 heading into the fourth. The Raiders gave their fans a bit of a scare in quarter four, however, allowing Mansfield to go on a 6-0 run to finish the game. Thankfully, the Raiders were able to hold off the Hornets on their final possession, as a Joe Flaherty stick check caused a key turnover and allowed Wellesley to retain possession and run out the clock for the 10-9 victory.
At the time of print, the win over Mansfield advances Wellesley to the South quarterfinals on June 7, when they will travel to No. 3 Duxbury.
