How do the Lady Dalers spell relief? M-A-K-S-Y-M. That's #37 Lauren Maksym the freshman goalie. With help from her excellent defense, the Lady Dalers team shut out Northport in the second half to capture the Long Island Class A Girls Lacrosse Title at Stony Brook University last Sunday.

With great ball control by both teams, this game came down to defense and goaltending. The Dalers did score first, but it was tough for them to penetrate the Northport defense. At one point the Dalers moved the ball around the net for four minutes without a shot taken. But the lady Dalers defense was just as strong, maybe even stronger. They looked like killer bees, swarming on top of anyone from Northport with the ball causing them to lose it. And then the Dalers would pick up the loose ball and it was back to work.

Goalie Lauren Maksym was like a gate-keeper, stopping shots with her head, chest and legs. Even the cross bars were her friend. Again and again she came up big keeping the team in the game. The Lady Dalers were down 4-3 with goals by #20 Jenna Block, #24 Janine Hillier and #9 Melissa Maier at half time but they did not stop playing.

The Lady Dalers scored three times in the second half. Early in the half #5 Candace Rossi scored to tie the game at 4-4, and then a minute later scored a second goal to go up 5-4. Northport did have their chances but goalie Lauren Maksym with her 13 saves shut out Northport the second half. And then with 50 seconds left a goal by #24 Janine Hillier gave the Lady Dalers a 6-4 victory.

The Lady Dalers are off to the state semifinals versus Fayetteville-Manlius at SUNY Cortland on Friday, June 9 at 4 p.m. The finals are Saturday, June 10 at noon.