Two different three goal leads. A 90-degree turf field with the heat intensifying throughout the game. An extremely clutch game tying goal. Possession and the ball with under a minute left with a chance to win it.
If there were bricks on the field, the Saints from Nansemond Suffolk Academy would likely throw those at the Covenant girls lacrosse team as well — they’d thrown everything else at the Eagles.
Covenant weathered the storm and improbable odds to overcome NSA and win in golden goal overtime to lift Covenant to the VISAA Division II state title.
Temperatures reached over 90 degrees by the time the game started at Glover Park in Glen Allen. The Covenant spectators were joined by the remnants of the St. Anne’s Belfield girls lacrosse team and fans that stuck around after the Saints claimed the Division I state title half an hour before to cheer on the young Eagles.
Eight minutes in, things looked bleak for Covenant. Nansemond Suffolk, coached by Albemarle alum Connor Carson, scored within three minutes and quickly tacked on two more before the first scheduled water break. However, the Eagles regrouped, a common theme for them all afternoon, and Margaret-Ann Graves got the scoring going for Covenant to trim the NSA lead to 3-1 with 16:43 left in the first.
Graves’ goal was enough to re-ignite the Covenant faithful, who were rambunctious all afternoon. Delaney Poindexter got her insane day going with a goal eight minutes later, and Peyton Garber tied things up with 7:41 left in the half.
The Saints promptly talked it over and Garland Price put NSA back up 4-3. The Saints were able to hold on from there and take the one goal lead into the half.
The second half started much like the first, with NSA quickly scoring just over the 22 minute mark. Less than a minute later they scored again to give the Saints some breathing room at 6-3, but the goal proved to be their last until the closing minutes of the game.
Delaney Poindexter struck again with 16:11 left in the game to re-spark the Covenant offense. Her younger sister Kerrigan Poindexter scored seemingly a flash later to cut the deficit to one. After Covenant claimed the face-off, Delaney calmly ran a set and found herself isolated on the left side. The freshman cut back left and put the ball perfectly into the left side of the net, sending the remaining St. Anne’s Belfield players and Covenant fans into a frenzy.
Kerrigan Poindexter followed in her sister’s footsteps once again and put the Eagles up 7-6 with 9:50 left and gave the Eagles their first lead of the game.
The Saints called timeout to settle things down, and Marlin Price provided the huge answer a few minutes later with her third goal of the game to even things at 7.
Delaney Poindexter got a great look at the game winner with just under two minutes left, but the Saints’ defense held strong and had an opportunity to win it. Covenant goalkeeper Katy Varaksa came up with the huge stop to send the game to overtime.
Both teams held strong in the first overtime, but Covenant controlled possession during most of the first period. During the second, Delaney Poindexter finally drew some space and provided the game winner 52 seconds into the second period, sending the Covenant fans, STAB fans, and Eagles bench onto the field to celebrate.
The Poindexters accounted for five straight Covenant goals to overcome a 6-3 deficit and claim Covenant’s first state title since 2015.
Covenant finished the year 18-1 and returns the entire roster.
