With only four returning varsity players, many people doubted that the Walpole Girls Lacrosse team would make it to tournament, and entering their final two games with a record of 9-9, their entry into the tournament was still uncertain.  To qualify, they needed one win from their final two games of the season — against Norwood (who they beat before) and Franklin (one of the better teams in the state). So, before their game against Norwood on May 23, Assistant Coach Mike Tosone asked each girl to wear a matching piece of medical tape on one finger as a reminder that the girls were fighting for the win together.  He said, “If you’re ever tired and think about giving up, just look down at your pinky and know that so is everyone else on the team, and that you can push through it.” The motivation proved successful as the Rebels won 13-3 and qualified for the tournament.

The Rebels took the lead with sophomore Erin Richardson scoring in the first minute. The next goal was not scored for about ten minutes, when senior captain Kim Walsh finished off a set play with a hard shot into the top left corner of the net. Norwood, upset that the Rebels beat them the last time they met, was hoping to seek revenge and quickly scored a goal— bringing the score to 2-1. The Rebels’ goals were like rapid fire from then on, creating a big upset for the Mustangs on their senior day. Senior captain Sarah Buckley scored two goals in the first half, junior Hope Kelley scored one, sophomore Michaela Tosone scored two— one of which was within the last 15 seconds of the half. As the teams walked back to the bench at halftime with a score of 7-1, the smiles of the Rebel girls glowed like the game was their Senior Night, not Norwood’s.

Junior Erin Nelligan was the unsung hero of the game with a career record of saves in a game, which greatly contributed to the success of the team. With Nelligan, along with juniors Adrianna Frattasio and Courtney, sophomore Steph Barmakian, and freshman Brooke Matherson, backing them up, the Rebels went on to score 6 more goals by the end of the game. Senior captain Cecilia Abeley scored the first goal of the half, and was closely followed by two goals in a row by Richardson, another from Walsh, and one from both sophomore Seana Cosky and freshman Ashley Waldron. The Mustangs did manage to slip a couple of goals into the back of the net about half way through the second half, but no sum of goals that would hold off the motivated Rebels.

With a blow-out score of 13-3, the Rebels left the field with a sense of satisfaction in themselves, as well as every member of their team. Each of the three seniors scored a goal in the game, but they would not have been able to accomplish such success without the other 25 players on the team.

With this victory, the Walpole Rebels advanced to the tournament and ended the season 10-10 (after a lose to Franklin to end the season).  Now seeded ninth, the Walpole Girls will go against eighth-seeded Falmouth on Tuesday in Falmouth.  Playing a team so close to them in the seedings, Walpole is definitely an underdog with a potential for an upset.