Northwood girls lacrosse team reaches CIF finals for first time, meets Glendale for title

Northwood competes for the CIF Division 3 championship Friday. (Photo courtesy Northwood athletics).

Northwood’s girls lacrosse team will be out to bring home its first CIF championship Friday when the Timberwolves face Glendale in the Division 3 final at Fred Kelly Stadium.

The match starts at 3:30 p.m.

“This group has shown resilience, discipline, and strong team chemistry all season long, and we are proud of how our student-athletes have represented Northwood both on and off the field,” said Northwood Coach Dillon Lewis.

The Timberwolves advanced to the final with a 9-7 semifinal win over Great Oak on Tuesday at home.

Northwood (15-8) was led offensively by Lauren Low who had six goals and two assists,.

“Additional scoring came from her sister Alexis Low with two goals,” Lewis said.

Goalkeeper Lojyn Mansour had several key stops to preserve the victory.

“Our strength is our team chemistry and adaptability,” Lewis said. “Offensively, we emphasize unselfish ball movement, transition speed and the ability to effectively use all seven players. Defensively, our players communicate well, compete hard between the restraining lines, and play with strong energy.

Lauren Low leads the team with 85 goals and 16 assists, Alexis Low has 38 goals and 24 assists, Lindsay Nagata has 18 goals and 13 assists, Rebekhah Welch has 10 goals and 19 asssts, Kaelyn Hong has 19 goals and nine assists and Paige Kessler has six goals and three assists.

Mansour, the goalkeeper, has 80 saves.

“What makes this group special is the depth and chemistry throughout the roster,” Lewis said. “Different players have stepped up in different moments all season long. We expect Glendale to be favored as they are competitive and well-coached opponents. They are a talented team that plays hard and executes well, so we know we will need to be disciplined, focused, and play our best lacrosse for four quarters.”

Glendale (12-5) reached the final with an 11-5 victory over Westridge in the semifinals.

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com