After a comfortable win in the first round of the NCS playoffs the Lady Dons moved onto a semi-final against San Ramon Valley HS on Wednesday night. The Dons were looking to take their season record to 23-0 and extend their winning streak to 50, going back to 2018. SRV reached the semi-final after a 10-7 victory over Las Lomas HS in the first round and arrived as the fourth seed and EBAL champions. On a cold evening, the game started frenetically with mistakes at both ends as both teams showed their nerves. To the crowd’s surprise, SRV struck first with a sharply taken back hand giving them an early lead. Acalanes countered with a goal from Claire Rowell on a fast break off a long pass out from goalie Ava Donleavy, but SRV came again and took a 2-1 lead. For a moment the Lady Dons looked rattled to find themselves behind but gradually they took control and another goal from Rowell after a pass from Heidi Heffelfinger followed by goals for Roemer on a fast break and Heidi Heffelfinger from an assist by sister Mary Beth made it 4-2 at the end of the first quarter. That was as close as it was to get as the Dons settled into their game and moved through the gears.
The second quarter brought a goal from Rowell with an assist from Brooke Westphal, a five meter penalty shot from Roemer after a foul on Caroline Schirmer and a goal for Mary Beth Heffelfinger with an assist by Roemer to make it 7-3 to the Dons at half time.
The game continued to be tight in the second half with no quarter given and the third quarter brought just two goals, both for the Dons and both for Alana McCartney, the first with an assist from Alex Mould and the second assisted by Roemer. It was 9-3 after three quarters. More of the same in the fourth quarter as the Dons extended their lead with goals by Westphal after an assist by Roemer, another five meter penalty shot by Roemer after another foul on Schirmer and a final goal from Rowell with an assist by Roemer. The score finished 12-5 to the Dons putting them into the NCS final. Rowell scored four goals with further scores coming from Roemer (3), McCartney (2), Heidi Heffelfinger, Mary Beth Heffelfinger and Brooke Westphal. Roemer made four assists and five steals, with other steals coming from Rowell (4), McCartney (3), Mould (3), Heidi Heffelfinger, Mary Beth Heffelfinger, Schirmer and Westphal.
The final will be played at 6pm on Saturday at Acalanes against Miramonte HS where the Dons look to repeat last year’s first and only NCS Championship for the team.