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Boys Lacrosse: Goalie Spence steps up his game for Springfield

Posted On: Wednesday, June 08, 2016
By: ldevlin

MIDDLETOWN >> James Spence is a difference-maker for Springfield in the crease, as any team in the Central League can attest. The junior isn’t one to often maraud beyond it, but when Spence was presented the opportunity to extend his influence Tuesday night, he took the chance to help his Cougars secure a monumental win. In addition to 12 saves in a steady outing between the posts, Spence extinguished pressure on a clear with his feet, lofting a pass to Mike Vent for the goal that helped seal Springfield’s 8-5 win over Strath Haven in the PIAA semifinal at Penncrest Tuesday night.

The win advances Springfield (19-7) to Saturday’s PIAA final against La Salle, which drubbed Manheim Township, 10-2, in the other semi. That game is at West Chester East at 2:30 p.m. Strath Haven (19-7) sees its program-best season end.

Vent had just set up Nick Martin for the goal that put Springfield ahead for good at 8:25 of the fourth quarter. Four minutes later, as Strath Haven pushed frantically for an equalizer, chaos reigned. Springfield’s Kyle Long rang a shot off the crossbar, and the rebound trickled to the other end of the field, leaving a trail of scrums in its wake.

Eventually, Spence came ambling out of the crease to pocket the groundball, then turned upfield. He got near midfield on the near sideline and feathered a pass over a leaping defender to Vent. The midfielder gobbled up open real estate and slotted home a leaping shot past goalie Will Brake while sliding parallel to the goal line, contorting his body in midair to stay out of the crease and make it 7-5 with four minutes left.

“I always try to be as much of an asset to my team as I can, inside the cage and outside the cage,” Spence said. “… No one was open, so I had to kind of beat me guy. I kept on looking up, found Mike Vent, so I pushed to him, and it turned out he made a great play and Mike Vent had a great goal.”

“I’m just looking to get up and maybe get a pass from him,” Vent said. “We’re just trying to get the ball out safely. We’re not trying to rush or anything. He got the pass to me, and I was just open, and I saw it and I took the shot and luckily it went in.”

Click HERE to read the full article.

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