The girls lacrosse team (12–2) outlasted the Walter Johnson Wildcats(11–3) Friday afternoon in the second round of the playoffs.

The Vikes came out of the gate hot scoring four goals in a row to take a 4–0 lead. With three minutes left in the first half, midfielder Kieley O’Hara was pushed in the back and earned a penalty shot; she stepped up and delivered a hard shot into the back of the net. With 22 seconds left in the first half, a Walter Johnson attacker shot from five yards away and goalie Jackie Shipp made a wonderful crossbody save to deny the goal and allow the Vikes to take a 7–4 lead at halftime.

“In the first half we weren’t playing defensively and we weren’t playing as one team,” defender Francesca Brown said. “After halftime, we regrouped, and worked together much better.”

Towards the middle of the second half, attacker Grace Nemeroff caught the ball and sidestepped past two defenders and sunk the ball into the bottom corner of the goal making the score 10–4. Nemeroff led the Vikes in scoring with four goals and one assist.

The team intensified their defensive efforts in the second half, only allowing three more goals for the rest of the game. Offensively, the Vikes tallied five more goals in the second half.

“Our offense in the game was at its best and we really connected,” Nemeroff said. “I definitely think that we have a real chance to make it back to state semis and possibly further than that.”

The Vikes next play the Churchill Bulldogs(10–2) in the section finals Monday, May 12th at Wootton High School at 5:30 pm.