In the most recent coaches poll released on April 24, Lakeville South was ranked No. 1 and Chanhassen was right behind at No. 2.
It’s not hard to see why. The Cougars are the defending state champs after a 10-7 win over the Storm clinched the title last spring. Coming into Friday’s game, the two teams were a combined 5-0 and had outscored their opponents 89-20.
What was expected to be a tight battle for the No. 1 ranking in the state was anything but, as the Cougars went on the road and left with a resounding 16-3 victory.
“I wasn’t expecting it,” Lakeville South coach Joel Tornell said. “Chanhassen’s a great team and I thought we just really played lights out today.”
Defending state champion Lakeville South breezed by Chanhassen — the team they beat in last year’s state title game — 16-3 on Friday night in Chanhassen
The Cougars put pressure on the Storm early, as Emily Moes scored a little less than two minutes into the game.
Through winning ensuing draws and forcing turnovers, the Cougars kept possession for a majority of the game’s opening 15 minutes. That led to a second goal for Moes and hat tricks for Sivanna O’Brien and Gabby Bouman before halftime.
Cassidy Bergstorm and Allie Welder added goals for the Storm to make it a 9-2 lead for the Cougars heading into halftime.
The second half was much of the same, as the Cougars (3-0, 1-0) outscored the Storm 7-1. Christina Swirtz finished off a hat trick, while O’Brien and Bauman each added a fourth goal.
Welder scored the lone goal of the second half for the Storm (3-1, 1-0).
The MN Lacrosse Hub polls are for entertainment purposes only.