The Lakeland High School field hockey team fought hard but could not duplicate its regular season success against York High School during the Conference 27 tournament semifinals earlier this week.

The host Lady Falcons took a 1-0 lead near the end of the first half and ended up sending the Lady Cavs home with a season-ending 2-0 loss on Tuesday.

Lakeland coach Cortney Parker still felt good about her team’s performance, though.

“I think we played really well,” she said. “It was a faster game. We played on their turf field, and York is just a real fast team on that field.”

On Oct. 15, the Lady Falcons hosted Lakeland on their grass field and lost 2-1 to the Lady Cavs.

Parker said the change in playing surface played a huge role in Tuesday’s game, but the Lady Cavaliers were very much in the game.

“We had opportunities also, we just didn’t finish, and they did,” she said. “I’d say it was a pretty evenly matched game. They did have 15 (offensive penalty) corners compared to our four, but a lot of (the game) was played in the middle of the field.”

York scored its first goal with 2:39 to go in the first half and put in its final goal with 13:11 remaining in the second.

Lakeland achieved eight shots on goal for the game, while the Lady Falcons registered 11.

As for standouts on her team, Parker said, “My entire defense played really well.”

That defense featured junior sweeper Haley Beale, junior left back Kaylene Thomas, senior right back Chaunsa Saunders, freshman center back Allison Thompson and junior goalkeeper Deleah Scott.

Scott recorded saves on nine of York’s 11 shots on goal.

The Lady Cavaliers finished the season with an 11-6 record.

“It’s great to see the same set of girls for two years in a row, because I’ve basically had the same group,” Parker said of her team. Reflecting on its growth this season, she added, “To go from an 8-9 season to 11-6, it’s pretty special.”

She will lose six players to graduation before next season, but she expects to have a strong group of upperclassmen again.

“I’m excited about next year,” Parker said.