The girls lacrosse team outlasted a late deficit against the Richard Montgomery Rockets, winning 12-11 and advancing to the sectional finals of the state playoffs.

The Vikings overcame their greatest adversity of the season when they were down 11-9 with just over five minutes remaining in the game. As their season hung in the balance, coach Katie Bitonti called a timeout to talk to the team.

“They needed to dig deep and decide right [then] if they wanted to win the game or not,” she said.

The Vikings responded after the timeout, as midfielder Maddie Parker scored two quick goals to tie the game. After withstanding a wave of pressure by the Rockets, midfielder Jenna Hosker scored with 1:39 left to give the Vikings the lead, which proved to be enough to ensure the victory.

“They’re still undefeated on their home field, and I think that definitely helped spark whatever energy they had left in them,” Bitonti said.

The game was back and forth throughout while both teams fought to keep their seasons alive. The play was close to even in the first half, as the Vikings held a slim 6-5 lead going into the break.

Parker led the team with five goals and Hosker finished close behind with three.

The Vikings extended their current winning streak to five and improved their season record to 11-2.

They will look to advance to the regional final when they take on the third seeded Walter Johnson Wildcats this Monday.