Hollis Brookline's Bella Haytayan, left, is pressured by Windham's Eva Staniy during Tuesday's clash of Division II contenders in Hollis. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

HOLLIS – The Hollis Brookline High School girls lacrosse team is made up by a lot of moving parts that often can move together.

And just at the right time, they were moving in the right direction on Tuesday en route to a 14-10 win over fellow Divsion II contender Windham.

The Cavaliers (10-2) found themselves in a slugfest with the Jaguars, despite taking an early 5-1 lead. With just under 16 minutes to play, they were trailing 9-8, called time out, and then went on a game-deciding 6-0 run over a span of 11 minutes.

“We changed our defense,” Cavaliers coach Linda Haytayan said. “And we also changed up our draw. And we didn’t lay down.”

That’s exactly what Jags coach Russ Perkins, his team now 9-3, saw.

“We’re very young on defense this year,” he said. “We winning the draws, but just turning the ball over. I have to give them credit, Hollis Brookline, every single year, are one of the most aggressive teams we play. … That surge I attribute to them getting every ground ball, making every check.”

And HB cashed every check, too. The goals during the streak were by Paige Mello, Sabrina Hill, Alyssa Hill, Bella Haytayan, Ireland Stark and Abbie Ogren, that last coming with 4:44 left.

See? A lot of parts, and they were all moving. The passing was precise.

Alyssa Hill has had a great season for the Cavs, and, as Haytayan said, “We have other players who are moving up. They trust each other, which is nice. When Alyssa’s not the biggest playmaker because she’s being face guarded, or they’re watching out for her, other players are stepping up.”

And doing that yesterday was Mello, who had five goals while Hill finished with two goals and five assists. Stark had a hat trick (with an assist), and also led in ground ball controls and interceptions with a total of eight. le Cailean Roy (four draw controls) and Sabrina Hill each had a goal and Haytayan a goal with an assist. The depth was impressive, as was goalie Hallie Bardani with nine saves.

It was enough to overcome the Chloe Hall show. The Jaguar attacker had six goals to lead the way for the visitors. That’s why it was important to get out to the quick lead, before the Jags rallied to send things into the break tied at 7.

“They’re a run and gun team, and are faster for us,” Haytayan said. “That was our game plan, go out strong, put some numbers on the board, and run some specific plays.”

This is Haytayan’s first year at the helm of the Cavs. She coached the HB Middle School program, was an assistant last year at Souhegan and she started the girls program at the unified Nashua High School back in the mid 1990s. She inherits a team that went to the finals last year, bowing late in the game to Portsmouth. They’d love to get back there, and with two weeks before the tourney, now things get real.

“I think our culture is different, more inclusive,” Haytayan said. “We’re a tight team.”

And where the coach wants them to be?

“Yes,” she said, “and we have more to go. Absolutely, more to go.”

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