Orono Spartans Freeze SLP Orioles in Home Opener

 The weather was chilly Tuesday night for the St. Louis Park Girls Lacrosse team's belated home opener as Celia Dahl scored five goals to lead the Orono Spartans to a 18-5 rout of the host Orioles.  

The game marked the home debut for new Oriole head coach Kate Pearson, who replaced Kyle Sweeney.  Pearson moved to the Twin Cities from Denver.  

In the first half, the Spartans got on the scoreboard :34 into the game on Dahl's first goal from the right side of the net.  Ryan Rasmussen would tie the game and Lily Fandel Thompson would follow :13 later to put St. Louis Park in front.  The score would be even at two as Dylan Collins fired the ball part Oriole goalie Carina Otos.  St. Louis Park would regain the lead on Meg Ridgway's goal and that would be the last lead for the Orioles as Orono would wrap up the first half scoring with four unanswered goals.  Two would come from Dahl and Bridget Kringen and Lila James found the net to give the Spartans a 6-3 halftime lead.  

The second half would pick up where the Spartans left off as the extended their unanswered goal run to 10.  Two more goals would come from Dahl.  Also entering the scorebook for Orono were Layla Ragan, Haley Holzschuh, Kate McGrann and Caroline Close.  St. Louis Park got a little life when Riley Ridgway's center slot goal, ended the Orono run.  But the Spartans would send the game into running time and utilize their bench that resulted in another six goal run.  Close would score her second goal of the game and the same with James.  Macy Rasmussen (no relation to the Orioles Ryan) would get some varsity playing time and it paid off in a goal.  Dylan Collins added two more goals to extend the lead to 13 and St. Louis Park would end the run on Meg Ridgway's second goal.  That was all the offense the Orioles could generate as Holzschuh wrapped up the scoring with 1:36 to play.  

Orono improved their record to 2-1 and will travel to Waconia on Thursday, April 28 for a 4:30 game against the Wildcats.   St. Louis Park fell to 1-2 and will also be in action on the 28th as they head up Highway 169 to New Hope to take on the Cooper Hawks at 4 PM.