Andrew Giermak

In a physical, high-paced match up of familiar rivals, Nansemond-Suffolk’s girls lacrosse team was given a tough test for the first time this season thanks to visiting Cape Henry.

Scoring 11 times out of 14 shots on goal, while getting 14 saves by goalkeeper Olivia White; the Lady Saints passed the test with an 11-9 victory Tuesday afternoon.

Parris Grieder gave NSA a great start, scoring 1:27 in off a Martha Rawls assist, and then scoring again just more than 90 seconds later off a Courtney White pass.

White scored off a restart to the right of the CH goal with 15:07 left in the first half and then Grieder converted on a penalty with 11:31 left, pushing the Lady Saint lead to 4-0.

Unlike earlier opponents against NSA though, Cape Henry responded aggressively, showing they would certainly make a game of it.

The Lady Dolphins struck twice in the span of a minute to make it 4-2.

Then, after White scored again with an unassisted goal and Genny Stulb scored her first goal of the match, the next three goals went to CH, making it 6-5 in the last couple minutes of the half.

NSA didn’t wait until the half to regroup though, as Olivia White turned away a CH scoring chance and NSA’s clearance found Rawls who sprinted into the CH half, then passed ahead to Genny Stulb, who fired a hard shot on the run, past the CH keeper, making it 7-5, NSA, with 1:03 left.

In the final minute, CH earned a penalty shot, but Olivia White made the stopped the CH shot, keeping the lead at two goals at the break.

The combination of offense and goalkeeping kept things going in favor of the Lady Saints early in the second half.

After turning away CH’s first possession of the half, NSA capped a 90-second long possession with patient passing resulting in Grieder’s fourth goal of the day, this one off another Courtney White assist, giving NSA an 8-5 margin 2:32 into the half.

CH went on the attack again following the Grieder goal, and earned another penalty, only for Olivia White to turn away another short-range shot.

Clearing the threat, and quickly turning it into a scoring chance at the other end of the field, this time Stulb found Rawls and Rawls put her shot into the back of the net, making it 9-5.

The Lady Dolphins cut the lead back to two at 9-7, but goals by Stulb and Maggie Standing gave NSA an 11-7 lead with 5:29 left.

In addition to Grieder’s four goals, Stulb finished with three and Courtney White had two goals and two assists.

Sadie O’Connor added two assists as well.

“Emotions run really high against Cape Henry every time we play them, but especially this time because last year we beat them in double overtime,” said Courtney White.

“We were ready all day for this one.”

The Lady Saints will have to be ready again though on April 13, when they go to Cape Henry to play the game that will count in the conference standings.

Between now and the rematch, NSA (5-0) goes to Trinity on Friday afternoon and then to Norfolk Academy (non-conference game) on Tuesday.