Mount Vernon — Emily Hauptle’s final regular season game as a member of the West Potomac girls’ lacrosse team began with an invite to the prom. It ended with the senior scoring a pair of overtime goals to beat South County.
Facing the Stallions on senior night, Hauptle scored three goals, including one in each three-minute overtime period to help the Wolverines to a 10-8 victory on April 30 at West Potomac High School. The victory helped the Wolverines’ chances of securing a top-four seed in the Patriot District tournament and a first-round home game.
Last season, West Potomac defeated South County on the Stallions’ senior night. With the Wolverines facing the pressure of not allowing South County to return the favor, the mood quickly lightened as head coach Lori Cochran’s stepson, Richard, a sophomore at West Potomac, asked Hauptle to the prom by writing the request on the ball brought out for the opening draw (she said yes). Hauptle concluded the eventful evening with the game-winning goals.
"I was freaking out in the beginning. I really wanted to win," said Hauptle, who will play Division I lacrosse at Marquette. "We beat them last year on their senior night and I couldn’t imagine letting [it happen to us]. … The girls set me up [in overtime] and I was just there to finish the shot. Any of our girls could have done it. It just happened to be me and I was lucky to be that person."
Fellow senior and team captain Livvy Mickevicius also scored three goals. After South County regained the lead with less than 10 minutes remaining in the second half, Mickevicius scored a pair of goals to give the Wolverines a 7-6 advantage. Mickevicius assisted a goal to Karley Zdebski to give West Potomac an 8-6 lead, but South County scored twice in the final 3-plus minutes to force overtime.
"I’ve never played an overtime game in lacrosse before, so that was awesome," said Mickevicius, who will play at Grand Valley State. "… [The win] shows that we’ve worked really hard this season and that anything is possible."
Zdebski scored two goals and seniors Annmarie Wood and Liz Quin each scored one.
West Potomac seniors Hauptle, Mickevicius, Wood, Quin, captain Jessie Dartoozos and Jenna Van Dyck each played in their final regular season home game.
"The seniors," coach Lori Cochran said, "really shined."
"I was freaking out in the beginning. I really wanted to win. We beat them last year on their senior night and I couldn’t imagine letting [it happen to us]. … The girls set me up [in overtime] and I was just there to finish the shot. Any of our girls could have done it. It just happened to be me and I was lucky to be that person."
— West Potomac senior Emily Hauptle
After starting the season 6-0, West Potomac suffered a three-game losing streak against Woodson, Lake Braddock and West Springfield. However, the Wolverines bounced back with a win against the Stallions and would clinch a first-round home game with a win over T.C. Williams in the regular season finale on May 2.
The Patriot District tournament begins Friday, May 4.
"This [win against South County] is what we needed [against] West Springfield and Lake Braddock," Hauptle said, "and now I know on Friday we can definitely win."