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Western girls start slow, finish fast against Loudoun County

Sometimes it just takes Western Albemarle’s girls lacrosse team a little while to get going.

“They get a little anxious before they get those first few goals up there,” said Western coach Nancy Haws.

But once they do, there’s little stopping the Warriors.

The Warriors shook off a slow start Monday night to blow past Loudoun County 22-6 in the Region II quarterfinals.

Jeanette Fellows powered the win with five goals and three assists while Ellen Shaffrey poured in six goals and also had an assist. Shaffrey poured it in early, scoring the opening three goals, while Fellows had a monster second half. She attributed the second half explosion that turned a six-goal advantage into a runaway to the Warriors’ discussions at the half.

“The halftime talk really got us together,” Fellows said. “That once around (passing it around the offensive set) that we do really gets us settled down.”

It didn’t hurt that Western was dominating the draw, winning 18 of them in total as Abby Wheeler and Fellows led the way with six and four draw controls respectively.

Wheeler finished with four goals and an assist and Jordan Haws rounded out the bulk of the scoring with a hat trick. Kellen Haley and Anna Liebowitz had a goal and two assists each.

Western keeper Christine Fortner came up with six saves on 12 shots, anchoring a defense that forced at least nine turnovers.

Loudoun got two goals out of Rachel Solis, but the offense sputtered in the second half as the Warriors’ defense clamped down. Anna Krueger in particular rose to the occasion, drawing the toughest defensive assignment for the Warriors.

Western is now set to host Broad Run in the Region II semifinals on Wednesday at home at 6 p.m.

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