Contact: Jenni Brockman
Telephone: 804-443-3357
Fax: 413-639-3999
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Combs's Late Goal Sinks Covenant
St. Margaret's School's Carol Combs, like clockwork, always seems to score the big points. She has done this throughout her SMS athletic career in field hockey and soccer. This spring she's doing it again in lacrosse.
(l. to r.) Emily Reich, Lacey Wright, Ashley Colen, Ginny Moncure, and Carol Combs celebrate following Tuesday's gritty win. Combs finished with a game-high four goals including the game winner in sudden death overtime.
Carol, a junior from Statesboro, Ga., scored the game winning goal in sudden death overtime last Tuesday (4/11), leading her team to victory over The Covenant School, 9-8. The SMS victory and making the winning shot ensured Combs' unanimous selection as the hero of the game. With unbridled emotions, her Scotties teammates swarmed Carol after the winning shot; the entire group fell to the ground shrieking and screaming in a frenzied celebration reminiscent of the USA women's soccer team and Brandy Chastain after winning the 1998 World Cup. "It definitely felt like a tournament game today," said Carol. "It was very intense. Neither team wanted to lose."
It should be pointed out, however, that this year's St. Margaret's lacrosse team features many outstanding players. Wing forwards Lacey Wright (2), of Newport News, and Ginny Moncure (3), of Tappahannock, each scored goals for St. Margaret's. Seniors Ashley Colen and Emily Reich also made valuable contributions in Tuesday's victory over Covenant. In addition, Sarah Muller, Sara Pirtle, Tonia Arsala, Emily Stevens, Lisa Bruning and Sara Newman all played well. The combined efforts of all of these outstanding players have established this year's St. Margaret's team as a championship contender.
The Scotties began the first half playing sluggishly, but forged ahead when Carol Combs and Ginny Moncure each scored goals, minutes apart early in the half. The Eagles answered quickly, scoring two goals to pull even. The first half ended with Carol Combs scoring her second goal to give SMS a 3-2 lead. In the first half, the Eagles were unable to advance the ball consistently into their offensive end of the field. However, after making adjustments at halftime, this changed.
St. Margaret's wing forward Ginny Moncure jukes a Covenant defender on Tuesday afternoon.
The Eagles opened the second half by scoring a goal to tie St. Margaret's, 3-3. The Scotties answered with consecutive goals by Lacey Wright and Ginny Moncure to regain the lead, 5-3. Covenant answered again to knot the score at 5. The Scotties, playing a relentless, attacking style of offense regained the lead again as Combs and Moncure scored back-to-back goals for the second time (the third goal of the game for both Combs and Moncure). But the Eagles rallied again to tie the game at 7. SMS's Lacey Wright then scored a goal to put the Scotties ahead, but the SMS lead vanished when Covenant scored on a late penalty opportunity. The Eagles' penalty goal deadlocked the score 8 - 8 at the end of regulation play.
Throughout the six-minute overtime period The Eagles played solid defense - contesting every stick. Despite several SMS opportunities, neither team was able to score during the initial overtime period. A "sudden death" second overtime period followed wherein there was no clock and the first team to score would win the game. Carol Combs subsequently scored the game winning goal two minutes into the second overtime period, giving the Scotties a 9-8 win. Combs finished with a game-high four goals. St. Margaret's goalie, Carver Weakley, had 7 saves. St. Margaret's head coach Cupper Dickinson, of Loretta, helped the team regroup at halftime and prior to both overtime periods. "I knew the team that seized momentum last would win the game," she said. "Fortunately we were able to do that."
ESPN sports commentator Dick Vitale refers to athletes of Combs's caliber, who seem almost invincible at times, as "prime time players". Certainly, with her consistent, clutch play, Carol Combs has earned the right to be called such.
