Monroe girls lacrosse wins first GMC Tournament title

EAST BRUNSWICK – Maybe it shouldn't be too surprising Monroe High School's girls lacrosse team won its first Greater Middlesex County Tournament title Monday night. The third-seeded Falcons have been building toward this milestone for years.

They played like a team not wanting to leave any doubt. They ran out to a 5-0 lead on top-seeded Old Bridge – a team they lost to last month – and weren't seriously threatened on their way to a 13-5 victory at East Brunswick.

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Monroe lost in the county final to North Brunswick last year and fell in the county semifinals to Old Bridge and East Brunswick the previous two seasons. But coming close wasn't going to push them over the top.

"I think they all really remembered how they felt at North Brunswick last year," said Monroe coach Carly Welsh, who is in her fourth season as head coach. "I think they also got the jitters out of being in the finals. Instead of last year where they were nervous, they were more ready and excited and pumped.

"I said this at North Brunswick (in this year's semifinals) too. Our girls were ready and I knew it from the moment they stepped off the bus. They wanted it and it's really that mattered. They weren't going to back down whatsoever."

Sophomore Liz Skobelev said last year’s disappointment was certainly a motivation. She and junior Ashley Patten each finished with five goals and an assist apiece. Skobelev was also strong on draws.

“We just had the determination. We had never won before, we never won a conference championship before, so this is a great accomplishment for us,” said Patten, who said she's played the game since the fourth grade. “We really wanted it.”

Patten and Skobelev scored five of the team’s seven first half goals as the Falcons took a 7-4 halftime lead.

"I was so ecstatic," Skobelev said. "So happy, we've worked so hard to get here. The loss last year really motivated us to come out hard and win this year. It's really exciting and to be a part of this. We're building up a legacy so that future Monroe lacrosse players can look back at this and use it as motivation.”

Kara Turco and Leslie Lane scored two goals apiece and Courtney Frycz added one. Junior goal keeper Julianne Palmer made saves off several close range shots early that kept the momentum going for the Falcons.

“It set the tone right away and the girls were confident but calm and composed," Welsh said. "That's what we've been working for and that composure kept us sailing through."

Emily Handy scored three goals for Old Bridge and Abby Zimmerlink collected two. Emily Lopes, Heather Papa and Lindsay Shafer all scored a goal apiece.