Within seconds of Macey Walker's fourth goal Thursday night, the skies beyond the south end zone at Bethlehem Area School District stadium lit up in a short but intense fireworks display.
"I set that up, you know?" the Freedom senior captain said with a grin.
Had they come about a half-hour later, they would have helped celebrate a critical victory for the Patriots' girls lacrosse program
Walker and fellow senior Lauren Fodale combined for seven goals to help Freedom move within one victory of the first postseason playoff berth in the program's three-year history. The led the way to an 11-7 Lehigh Valley Conference win over crosstown-rival Liberty on a night when seniors on both teams were honored in the first-ever lacrosse game on the Frank Banko Field turf.
Freedom (8-8, 4-6 LVC) can qualify for the District 11 tournament with a win over Moravian Academy on Monday or at winless Quakertown on Wednesday.
"Oh man, to go out as a senior in districts, it doesn't get much better than that," said Walker, who has been with the program since Day One. "And to beat our rival to take some pressure off of having to win both those games, it really doesn't get much better than that."
"We're looking to win out,' added Freedom coach Chris Innarella. "At the beginning of the season I set the tone high for them, because I believed these kids were capable of greatness. I told them if they worked hard and stood tall together, great things would happen and success would come. They know where things are at, but you coach one game at a time, and today put us in a really good situation."
It was a freshman, Emily Rowan, who got the Patriots off running with a goal just 14 seconds after the opening draw. Macey's first three goals helped the lead grow to 5-1, and goals by Fodale (12 seconds into the second half), Rowan, Walker and Christina Youwakim made it 10-3 with 16:56 left.
Liberty (2-11, 2-7) didn't go quietly, however, closing within 10-6 with 4:25 left on the fourth of Ceci Barron's five goals. Hannah Beegle, Freedom's freshman goalie, kept the Hurricanes from getting closer with several saves on point-blank shots over the 12-minute span before Freedom senior Kristen Bell delivered the final blow with 3:53 left.
"She's a goofball, but she was amazing," Walker said of Beegle's play.
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