Telegraph photo by TOM KING Hollis Brookline's Abby Magnuszewski gets harassed by the Winnacunnet defense led by Mills Waddell, right, during the Cavaliers' 15-9 loss in Saturday's Division II semifinals at Stellos Stadium.

NASHUA – They were the victims of a Warrior Whirlwind.

It was probably the last thing the Hollis Brookline High School girls lacrosse players expected. After all, they had jumped out to a 7-2 lead over Winnacunnet with just under nine minutes to go in the first half of Saturday’s Division II semifinals at Stellos Stadium.

But from that time on, the Warriors just kept winning draws and scoring goals, outscoring HB 13-2 the rest of the way for a 15-9 win.

“They got momentum,” said HB coach Jim Maxwell, his No. 2 Cavs done at 14-3. “And they took the momentum and went with it. And we took the momentum and went in the opposite direction.”

Winnacunnet, which trailed 8-7 at the half, got a whopping nine goals from senior Brooke McErlain, who scored four of the No. 3, 14-5 Warriors’ first six goals of the second half. That made life tough for HB netminder Olivia Valentine (three saves).

The Cavaliers were paced by four Tasha White goals, two by Paisley Broadhurst and singles by Victoria Bruzik, Kelsey Sweeney and Abby Magnuszewski.

It was all about possession and making the most of them.

“We started winning some draw controls and got the ball,” Warriors coach Glenn McKenzie said. “When we were on offense, we could execute. Early they were winning draws 6-2, and they were scoring early. Then we we got the ball, we started to score and that was the difference.”

That and the Warriors defense, allowing just one Cavalier goal by Bruzik with 7:22 to play that made it 13-9. But HB couldn’t muster anything else, and Warrior Allysn McNamara’s third of her three goals while sliding to the Motta Field turf with 1:13 left removed any doubt (14-9). Keelyn McNamara had two goals and Serena Kollmorgen one to round out the scoring, will WHS goalie Lainey Parrott had two saves.

“Awesome season,” Maxwell said. “The kids should hold their heads high. But you can’t go up 7-2 in the first half and …”

And get caught up in a whirlwind.

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