Titans sweep Pats

The Toll Gate girls lacrosse team celebrated its Senior Night in style on Tuesday as it rolled to a 15-4 win over crosstown rival Pilgrim and remain firmly in the Division II playoff picture.

The Titan offense came out firing and produced early and often. Adeline Areson led the way with seven goals and two assists while Katie Pale added a hat trick and two assists. Delanie Wheeler added two goals for Toll Gate while Aubrey Rubeira, Isabelle LaFontaine and Madison Hathaway also found the back of the net.

Gracelynn Ferreira scored two goals for Pilgrim in the loss, while Lily Farrell and Kiley Strain also scored.

It was a fitting outcome for the Titans, seeing four seniors score goals in the win.

“It’s poetic for us. It’s bittersweet because we started together and now we’re ending together. We have such a good team dynamic, we’re so connected,” said Areson.

The win improved Toll Gate’s record to 5-3 which is good for fourth place in the crowded division. The Titans have high hopes for the upcoming playoffs after missing out on the postseason last year.

Areson is back in the fold along with the seven other seniors, and beating their rival, they hope, will give them a spark as they enter the home stretch of the regular season.

“This is a huge win for us. We’re looking to go on a playoff run so this is really important for us as a team and it has brought us even closer. We want to end it the best way possible,” said Pale. “Addie’s back, the whole family is here. Having missing pieces sucks, the chemistry is here again, so everything is coming together.”

The final five games will be perhaps the team’s toughest stretch of the season, with two scheduled against second-place Chariho and another two against fifth-place Cumberland. Although the goal is to win and earn home field advantage, the Titans are also looking to simply enjoy their final month together.

“Work hard, play hard and have fun with it. We want to have fun, it’s our last season,” Pale said.

The Titans are down a few players to injury, but Areson is not concerned and feels the team is clicking at the right time.

“We’ve had a few injuries, but they are all on the sidelines supporting us. That’s what you have to do as a team, support each other on and off the field. We support each other in the classroom, on the field, it’s a family atmosphere and it’s indescribable,” said Areson, who is all too familiar with being on a championship-caliber club. “It’s like the basketball team all over again.”