Girls Lacrosse: Purvis, Garnet Valley apply lesson from ‘Nova win

CONCORD >> Villanova men’s basketball coach Jay Wright earned plaudits for his calm demeanor during the pandemonium that was all around him at the end of the NCAA championship game Monday night. Garnet Valley girls lacrosse coach Jenny Purvis has been known to get emotional before, during and even after her team’s games. Before the two-time defending PIAA champion Jaguars opened the Central League portion of their 2016 schedule against Radnor at Moe DeFrank Field Tuesday afternoon, Purvis, a Penn State product, channeled her inner ’Nova Nation as she talked to her players.

“We used Kris Jenkins’ quote from Monday night about believing the ball is going in every time you shoot,” Purvis said, after her team made the most of its 16 shots on goal to claim an 8-5 decision over Radnor. The Jags (4-0) got only eight shots in each half, but they scored four times before halftime and four times after the break while relying on a strong defensive effort, backed by eight saves from goalie Lauren Kinnee. Kinnee, who suffered a knee injury near the end of last season, had to watch from the sideline as her teammates went on another playoff championship run.

“It’s great how they all play so hard in front of me,” said Kinnee, a recent Bucknell University commit, said. “They were with me all through what happened last season and when I was trying to get ready to play again.

“I’m just glad to be back out there.”

She gave up three goals to Radnor junior Hope Smith, including one when the Jags were a player down because of a yellow card. Junior Ashley Bufano, who stepped in on defense when Kylie Young suffered a broken thumb, drew praise from Purvis for her efforts in helping shut down the visiting Red Raiders (2-3, 0-1). Beth Hofmann, Rachel Warden, Emily Mathewson, Michelle Koscinski and Kara Nakrasius were among the others who worked hard on the defensive end of the field.

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