.png?v=1715236024){kind=logo}
CONCORD — Liv Brenner is quick to deflect credit. The four goals she scored Saturday in the District 1 Class 3A quarterfinals against Downingtown East? All due to her Garnet Valley teammates finding her in the right spots, Brenner says.
Veiled in the statement, however, is a larger truth. Brenner has endured a difficult spring since her father Andrew passed away unexpectedly April 2. Throughout her journey, the support of her teammates and the extended Garnet Valley lacrosse family has been a rock of support.
“The girls have been so supportive,” Brenner said. “They made these shirts, they’ve been writing ‘AB’ on their wrists. They’ve been so supportive all season.”
While Brenner may not give herself credit for contributing to a 15-8 win over East that sends the Jaguars to the District 1 semifinals and a berth in the state tournament, she’s right in asserting her team’s big-picture role. Lacrosse has been her refuge, the space where she can get away, surrounded by friends unconditionally there for her. While blue t-shirts with her father’s initials “A.B.” are a constant reminder, Brenner’s teammates give her the chance to throw herself into competition for a couple of hours a day. Saturday, Brenner showed her gratitude by ensuring the Jaguars would get at least another week together.
“It’s kind of like an escape, just having my girls with me and working hard,” she said. “They’re just there for me.”
Brenner’s four goals are a career-best. In her last three games, she has eight goals and four assists, making her a potent weapon as the sixth option in an attack averaging 15.9 goals per game.
“It’s her being a great teammate and everything,” midfielder Kathryn Toohey said. “It’s really awesome having her to rely on to get those goals. Whenever she’s there cutting, we know she’s going to catch it and she’s going to score.”
Just as the Jaguars (18-2) have myriad options in attack, they showed just how unstoppable they can be around the center circle. The Jags put on a clinic, grabbing all 11 draw controls in the first half and 20 of 24 for the game.
Yes, 6-1 Madi McKee had eight of them. But even when the rangy attacker didn’t get the control by popping it skyward, the Jags still persevered, with Toohey corralling eight DCs at lower altitudes.
“We have so many different things to do,” Toohey said. “We really work around it. Other teams, we don’t really know what they’re doing, but we have so many ideas to do. Whichever way, depending on where the ball goes, either I’m boxing out or I’m going to get the ball, we have a system where we work together.”
Click HERE to read the full article.
Garnet Valley attacker Liv Brenner, wearing a t-shirt made by her teammates to memorialize her late father Andrew, scored a career-high four goals Saturday as the Jaguars booked a place in the District 1 Class 3A semifinals and the PIAA tournament with a 15-8 win over Downingtown East
Processing your request, Please wait....
