Ross Reaches Milestone; Leaves Legacy for Ocean Township Girls’ Lacrosse By Lou Monaco

Senior captain and goalie Shannon Ross has been a mainstay for the Ocean Township girls lacrosse team all season long and registered a significant career milestone a little over a week ago. 

 

In a tough 13-11 road loss at Red Bank Catholic on Apr. 28, Ross posted 10 saves and in the process recorded her 600th career save.

“I achieved 500 career saves the first game of the season, so my next goal was to achieve 600. During the game, I didn't know it was my 600 until I heard the sideline screaming and Ellie (Martel) told me I got it,” said Ross, who graduates from high school on June 26 and intends to continue to play the sport on a club level in college. “I was super excited to achieve it because it was during such an important game against RBC. It was also one of my last milestones of my high school career, which made it special for me.” 

 

Ocean Township (11-4) has won two straight and eight of its last 10 games as of May 3. 

 

“Her 600th along with several others after that allowed us to remain close with a very good Red Bank Catholic team,” said Ocean Township head coach Heather Krueger, who is in her third season at the helm. “We ended up losing by just two goals, but Shannon finished the game strong with several saves that gave us opportunities to stay in it. Two days after that, she again had a phenomenal game against Red Bank Regional in an 8-7 home win, where she posted a career- high 21 saves, including one in the game’s final second to secure the win.” 

 

Entering her May 4 contest at Wall, Ross currently has 140 saves this season and 628 for her career. 

 

“My senior season has definitely been the best season the team and I have had. Everyone on the team is extremely close and we all play very well together. As a team, we have gone above and beyond our expectations and I am so proud of everyone,” said Ross, who will be attending Schreyer’s Honors College at Penn State in the fall and plans to major in Film and Video. “It has been the most fun season I've had in the last four years and I couldn't be more grateful for it.” 

 

Ross has recorded 140 saves (tied for 13th amongst the state leaders as of May 3, 9.3 average per game) and has given up 97 goals (6.5 apg). 

 

“We have played so well together and have achieved so much individually and more importantly as a team. We've played so many close games that had the team under a lot of pressure, but we were able to support each other throughout and have been victorious. The last four years on this team has meant the world to me. It's been so fun to see this team grow so much from when I was the starting freshman goalie to now as a senior captain,” Ross added. “This team has become a second family to me. All the girls are some of my best friends, and even throughout the program from freshmen to junior varsity to varsity, I see all the girls as my sisters. I know that the younger girls on the team will be huge role models to the players who have yet to come, as I hope I was to them.”