Foxcroft School's exhilarating lacrosse season ended in frustrating fashion when top-seeded Covenant School of Charlottesville scored the final four goals of the game to win the VISAA Division II Championship Game, 13-11.

Played before an enthusiastic crowd that included more than 50 Foxcroft supporters who had made the two-hour trip to Collegiate School in Richmond, the loss deprived Foxcroft of its first state title in any sport in a year of great athletic accomplishment. Last fall, many of the girls on the team were on the losing end of the VISAA Division II championship field hockey game; others were part of the tennis team's first trip to the state semifinals.

Although the game was disappointing to the players, they could hold their heads high for finishing with the best record in school history (14-3) and reaching a lacrosse state final for the first time. It was a marked difference from last year, when Foxcroft reached its first state semifinal only to be crushed, 17-0, by Cape Henry Collegiate. This time, Foxcroft dispatched Delaney Athletic Conference rival Highland School in a dramatic 7-6 semifinal Friday and contended for the state title up to the end.

"We had a great season," said Coach Patrick Finn. "They should be proud. They played very hard today and never quit. We had our chances."

Although Foxcroft was seeded No. 2 in the tournament, behind top-ranked Covenant, the team led 7-6 at halftime and held a two-goal lead at 11-9 with 12:05 left to play. But Covenant then took control of the draws and eventually the game. Aided by a controversial blocking call that cost Foxcroft possession of the ball right in front of its own net, scoring four goals in the next seven and a half minutes while denying Foxcroft repeatedly.

Foxcroft failed to score in the final 10:54, though it had some chances. A couple of shots hit the post and two other shots from in close were kicked away by Covenant goalkeeper McKinley Clore. In addition, several penalties were whistled against Foxcroft in the second half that gave the ball to Covenant, which took advantage by displayed the kind of clock-wasting ball control that Foxcroft had employed en route to the final.

Covenant's ability to control the draws with co-captain Rachel Rapp in the second half was the turning point of the game, according to Coach Finn. Covenant won 16 draws, including the last four, to only 10 for Foxcroft in the game.

"The draws at the end of the game were the difference," Coach Finn said. "We could not win one in the last 10 minutes of the game. Their girl [Rapp] is tall and strong, and we couldn't take the ball from her."

Senior Olivia Jane Johnson of Rectortown and freshman Alex Grace (Purcellville) led Foxcroft with three goals apiece while sophomore Emma Rogers (McLean) and junior Lilly MacDonald (Bluemont) each scored twice. Senior co-captain Caroline Fout (Middleburg) also had a goal while Rogers and Carter Ware (Middleburg), another senior co-captain, had the only assists.

Senior co-captain Jenna Clark led Covenant with five goals, including two of the final four. Sophomore Sadie Bryant scored the other two that closed the door on Foxcroft's hopes.

Foxcroft, which won eight games in a row to reach the title game, had made it to a state final only twice before in any sport -- last fall's loss to Delaney Athletic Conference rival Fredericksburg Academy and a 2001 state final loss to Steward School, also in field hockey.