CREVE COEUR – Ladue senior Izzy Dodson looked to her coach for guidance as her team clung to a one goal lead in the final minute against top-ranked MICDS.
Standing at the 8-meter spot before a free position attempt, Dodson wondered if she should try to score or if she should pull back and drain more time off the clock.
“I looked over and (Coach Carrie Lampe) said, ‘Make a smart decision,’ Dodson recalled. “She put it in my hands.”
An empowered Dodson found a lane and scored the game-clinching goal to power Ladue to a 12-10 victory over previously undefeated MICDS Wednesday at Ladue West Campus.
Ladue (6-2), which received four goals apiece from Dodson and senior Yael Sabin, defeated MICDS for the second time in the last 17 meetings, which included a 17-1 drubbing to MICDS three years earlier.
“I had so much adrenaline. I’ve always wanted to beat them,” Sabin said.
Smart decisions and strong defense helped Ladue build an 8-5 lead midway through the third quarter before MICDS made its move. Sophomore Katherine Schott and freshman Victoria Noble each scored twice, as MICDS cashed in four successive goals to take a 9-8 advantage into the fourth quarter.
It was eerily reminiscent of the state quarterfinal matchup between the two teams last season, when Ladue grabbed a 5-4 lead before MICDS stormed back to earn their 12th consecutive trip to the final four.
“I got déjà vu,” junior Victoria Derdoy said. “I even told one of our defenders, ‘This is way too familiar.’”
Game story from last year’s state quarterfinal: https://metrosportsstl.com/2024/05/22/micds-survives-scare-from-ladue-to-advance-to-12th-consecutive-final-four/
Instead of avoiding the memory of last year’s loss, Lampe leaned into it.
“She told us to think of how we felt after the Elite Eight game last year and that really fired us up,” Dodson said.
Sabin added, “We saw the scoreboard, and we knew we had the chance to beat the No. 1 team in the state. We knew could do it, we just had to apply all our skills and work together.”
Dodson tied the game on a free position shot. One minute later, Derdoy stood at the 8-meter spot with a chance to give Ladue the lead while also reaching the 100-goal milestone for her career.
Earlier in the half, Derdoy had a chance to score her 100th goal from the eight-meter spot on two separate occasions, but she passed the ball off to a teammate for a better opportunity.
“I really didn’t want my 100th to be on an 8-meter, but (MICDS) was putting a lot of pressure on me. At multiple points, they had a faceguard on me, so I realized I wasn’t going to be able to get open in the way I wanted to,” Derdoy said. “When I got that 8-meter and we were tied, I knew if I scored it would put us ahead. At that moment, I was focused on the bigger picture.”
Derdoy found a driving lane and scored. The game was momentarily stopped, and Ladue celebrated her achievement with a poster and team photo. A cookie cake and flowers awaited Derdoy on the sideline after the game.
The brief stoppage allowed MICDS a chance to reset, and Schott scored her third goal of the half to tie the game at 10. Moments later, MICDS (6-1) began an all-out assault on the Ladue goal. The best chance came from the program’s all-time leading scorer Caroline Koman, who stood alone in front of the goal with only Ladue goalie Erika Ackerman to beat.
Ackerman made the most dynamic of her 18 saves, flashing out her right leg to keep the score knotted at 10 apiece.
“When its tied, I reset myself and pretend it’s 0-0,” Ackerman said. “I was super-nervous going into this game knowing I was going to face spectacular players. I closed my eyes and thought, ‘I just have to play my game and go for it.’”
Ackerman’s heroics allowed Ladue to regain its footing, and Sabin, who reached the 100-goal milestone last season, found her opportunity.
She executed a crease roll, received a pass and picked the top right corner as Ladue regained the lead with 3:06 remaining.
“I just had to catch the ball and place the shot. I knew I could do it,” said Sabin, who plans to move to Israel in July and join the Israeli National Team, with the ultimate goal of playing in the 2028 Olympics.
Late in the first half, MICDS scored twice in the final 1:08 to tie the game at 5. When Dodson earned her free position opportunity with 53 seconds remaining in the game, she understandably looked to the sideline for guidance.
“I trust them to make good decisions,” Lampe said. “I hope they trust me as much as I trust them.”
Dodson evaded a sea of MICDS defenders and zinged a shot past the left ear of goalie Sophia Huddleston to give Ladue a comfortable, two-goal cushion.
“I wanted to take the best shot, and I trusted my team to get the rebound if it didn’t go in. I saw I had a lane, and I knew I had to take the shot and seal the win,” Dodson said.
As the clock struck zero, Ladue celebrated on the field, and after handshakes, celebrated on the sidelines with a portable boombox atop the shoulder of junior Joelle Judaken.
“That was probably the best dance-off we’ve ever had,” Dodson said.
“Definitely our most hype one,” Ackerman added.
Ladue had an undefeated 14-0 record before losing to MICDS in a state quarterfinal last season. The successful season allowed Ladue the opportunity to bump up and play a top-10 schedule this year.
“These girls were waiting, wanting this Top 10 schedule. If you show most teams this schedule, they might be upset and think, ‘Woe is me.’ It can be daunting, but these girls could not wait to play these teams. They thrive in these environments,” Lampe said.
There is little time for Ladue to bask in the glow of their signature victory as the Rams host defending state champion Eureka at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Ladue West Campus.
“I don’t know if it’s blind optimism or if it’s intense belief, but they’re unfazed. They just believe in each other and in what we are doing. It’s been really fun to see them embody that,” Lampe said.
Photo gallery at: https://benvessa.smugmug.com/Girls-Lacrosse-2023-24/Girls-Lacrosse-2025/MICDS-vs-Ladue-4-23-25
