By Ed Wehde
WSL Special Correspondent

SAN DIEGO – A year after going home from the championship game disappointed following a one-goal loss, the No. 14 Torrey Pines girls lacrosse team left with the exact opposite feeling.

Last year’s runner-up outlasted No. 22 Coronado, 9-8, in the CIF-San Diego Section final at Rancho Bernardo High School on Thursday, giving the program its first title.

“After last year, I’m excited we’re coming out on top,” junior middie Caroline Boucher said. “I know how Coronado feels. They played a great game.

“I'd cry, but I have no tears right now – too much sweat.”

Junior middie Katie Trees, who scored four goals, including the game-winner, said: “It just feels great. It's a flip-flop (from last year), and we worked hard for this. Every practice we put in, we wanted this so bad.”

The top-seeded Falcons (19-3) beat the Islanders (21-3) by 10 goals earlier this season, but this game was much more closely contested. Torrey Pines scored the first two goals and by halftime had built a 7-4 lead. With 17 minutes left, the advantage was 8-5.

But Coronado fought back and Alex Reidy's unassisted goal tied the game at 8-8 with 4:56 left.

The second-seeded Islanders continued to pressure Torrey Pines junior goalie Carrie Yang, but she stood strong. After Yang made yet another save, Kelly Connor got the ball and fed Trees on a break. Trees raced upfield and scored the title-winning goal with 1:50 left.

“I just thought, ‘Don't get checked, tuck your stick and haul,’” Trees said. “I didn't think that was the time to be throwing it away, so I thought, ‘Get to the goal, (there’s) not a lot of time left.’ I went left, pulled right, beat (a defender), and then I saw a little pocket down in the left-hand corner and whhishhh.

“Thank God it went in. I saw a little opening and threw it as hard as I can.”

And after the ball hit the net?

“Oh I felt like ‘Let’s go win the draw and hold the ball for 30 seconds,’” Trees said.

The Falcons did win the ensuing draw and ran out the clock.

“I feel like I’m on cloud nine,” Trees said.

The Islanders forced Yang to save 16 shots, and their goalie, Meganne Weissenfels, made just six. Coronado head coach Jessica Battle said she thought her team was a bit unfortunate.

“We had I don’t know how many shots that were so close, whether we hit the pipe or just missed,” Battle said. “I just think we were just unlucky. I think we fought to the end. I think our goalie played a great game. I think all our players had a great game. I think it was just shots at the end there we got unlucky with.”

Torrey Pines head coach Lauren Dachille, who is in her third year with the program but her first as head coach, said she thought her team’s athleticism was the key.

“I think we’re a stronger team and more athletic when it comes to playing the whole 60 minutes,” Dachille said. “One of our strengths is our ability to play until the clock runs out.

“This is a huge testament to the amount of work these kids have put in all year. We have had a target on our backs for the entire season. I'm really proud of them for persevering and achieving their goal.”

Boucher matched Trees with four goals and added an assist. Julia Colley netted the Falcons’ other goal and Anna Knowles had an assist. Kaitlyn Couture scored two for Coronado, and six other players each netted one.

The Islanders felt the sting of finishing second for the second time in three years, but Battle had nothing but praise for her players.

“I think we had a phenomenal team,” Battle said. “I truly believe that I have, player for player, one of the best teams in the county, if not the best team in the county.

“They play really well together. My attack is incredible. My defense works really well together. They just play as a team, and they all get along. They’re a great group of girls.”