Photos
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Chatham celebrates after a Jaclyn Leto goal that made it 12-7 Moorestown. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham celebrates after a Jaclyn Leto goal that made it 12-7 Moorestown. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham's Kelsey Perselay takes on Moorestown's defense. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham goalie Hannah Reader stops Moorestown in the second half. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham goalie Hannah Reader and the defense shut down Moorestown for most of the second half. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham's Mary Kate O'Neill (9) battles Moorestown. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham goalie Hannah Reader and the defense shut down Moorestown for most of the second half. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham's Lauren Maiorano (left) takes a shot on goal. Chatham goalie Hannah Reader and the defense shut down Moorestown for most of the second half. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham's Kelsey Perselay (center) battles and controls the ball against Moorestown. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham's Lauren Maiorano takes a shot on goal. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham's Liz Hyde (4) seeks an open teammate to get a score. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham's Jaclyn Leto (right) takes her lumps against Moorestown defense. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham's Kelsey Perselay (right) looks to grab the face-off against Moorestown. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham's Kelsey Perselay (16) seeks space against the Moorestown defense. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham celebrates after Jaclyn Leto's second goal that cut Moorestown's lead to 12-10. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham celebrates after Jaclyn Leto's third goal that cut the Moorestown lead to 12-11. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham's Jaclyn Leto fires a shot for a goal that cut the Moorestown lead to 12-11. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
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Chatham fans cheer on their team after the team's 11th goal. Chatham's comeback fell short in the State Tournament of Champions final on Saturday at Kean University, falling 12-11 to Moorestown. Credits: Edward Kensik
Lady Cougars' Comeback Falls Short in State Tourney Final
Sunday, June 10, 2012 • 5:17am
UNION, NJ - It was a soul-searching halftime for the Chatham girls' lacrosse team on Saturday.
The Lady Cougars were down 8-4 at intermission, but there was something that was missing from the Chatham magic that got the Lady Cougars to the State Tournament of Champions final at Kean University.
The halftime pep talk did not kick in until about halfway through the second half as Moorestown increased their lead to 12-4 with 14 minutes left in the contest.
The Cougars would score seven unanswered points in a little more than the remaining 12 minutes left in the game and had the ball in the final seconds of the match.
Chatham, though, could not get that equalizer as the major comeback fell short with a 12-11 loss to Moorestown. The Lady Cougars finished with a 23-3 for the season that included winning the Group 1 state title that matched the 2008 season where Chatham also lost to Moorestown in the STOC final.
"We wanted to go down as the best Chatham team ever," said senior midfielder Brittany Marriott holding back the tears after the realization that the season was over. "We talked (at halftime) about our transition game and the seniors talked about not giving up."
In the end, Jacklyn Leto and Mary Kate O'Neill scored three goals each while senior midfielder Kelsey Perselay added two goals. Brittany Marriott, Kallan Murray and Lauren Maiorano added a goal each.
Lady Cougars Head Coach Deb Marriott, mother of Brittany, said she was extremely proud of not only her daughter but the rest of the team for not just laying down in the second half.
"We were down by eight goals and just kept fighting," the coach said. "It just showed the heart that we had."
In the first half, Deb Marriott said her team was tentative and the transition game suffered. "I think we were nervous in the first half and we weren't connecting," she said, adding that at halftime they talked about "settling down."
Leto has been plagued by sickness for the last week. "What can you say about Jaclyn?" said Deb Marriott. "She has had a myriad of illnesses, the flu and pink eye among others. She had a 101 degree temperature the other day."
Leto just threw caution to the wind in the last seven minutes when she became aggressive and went to the goal. The senior midfielder scored all of her three goals in the final seven minutes.
Her third goal came with a little less than three minutes in the game to cut the Moorestown lead to one, 12-11.
But Moorestown collected the ensuing faceoff and was able to control the ball for enough time that did not allow Chatham to set up a play on the other side of the field.
In addition to the scoring of Leto, Perselay's face-off play was another reason for the Chatham blitz in the second half.
"Kelsey has been very good at the face-offs and we just kept her on it," said Deb Marriott.
Leto's moves on the face-off paid off as she won face-off after face-off and the Cougars came downfield in waves against Moorestown Amanda Currell.
It was Brittany Marriott who got the ball rolling for Chatham with an unassisted goal.
The Lady Cougars made the biggest run in a three minute span where Chatham scored four times starting with Leto's second of three goals, this one coming off a restart.
