Piedmont High School’s girls lacrosse team opened the North Coast Section Division 2 playoffs with an easy win over Urban-San Francisco. But the Highlanders then fell at Acalanes in a tight game that ended their season. Piedmont finished 13-5 on the season.
The May 2 match at Acalanes was a rematch of a regular season game that the Dons won 8-7 in overtime after getting a tying goal late in regulation. This was another close match.
Acalanes got out to a 4-1 lead at halftime but Piedmont battled back, scoring five consecutive goals to tie it up in the second half. The Dons then got back in front and got the win. Acalanes (13-7) will face top-seeded San Marin on May 7 in the semifinals.
Ruby Guzdar scored four goals to lead the Highlanders. Luisa Cole, Hailey Marshburn and Hallie Burden had single goals for Piedmont. Annika Hattan-Kutter recorded nine saves. Acalanes was led by the Graces – Grace Imrie had three goals and an assist while Grace Colaco had two goals. The Dons got single goals from Tea Smith, Stella Hamilton, Ella Thomason and Catalina Liu. Thomason, Liu and Reese Tierney each added an assist. Addie
Martin had 11 saves.
Piedmont coach Carlton Chan said that Guzdar and Marshburn “put the team on their backs. Hallie (Burden) was just amazing on the draw so possession was not the problem. Annika played great in the goal and saved enough shots to keep us in the game.”
On April 30, the Highlanders got four goals in the first two minutes and cruised to an easy 20-5 win over Urban at Witter Field. Guzdar scored six goals and added an assist. Burden had four goals and an assist while Chloe Graham and Laurel Bentley had three goals each, with the latter added three assists. Cole, Marshburn, Orla Cohen and Friedie Schickedanz had one goal apiece. Schickedanz had two assists.
(L-R) Piedmont’s Emily Williamson and Urban’s Raya Gottesfeld and Vivienne O’Dell battle for the ball during Piedmont’s 20-5 NCS victory on April 30 at Witter Field. 
Piedmont’s Friedie Schickedanz (55) gets the ball knocked away by Urban’s Riva Hecht (15) while Eva Spero (26) defends the net. 
Piedmont’s Hailey Marshburn (21) fights to control the ball away from Urban’s Zoe Cashman (23). 
Piedmont’s Hallie Burden (white, back) and Urban’s Vivienne O’Dell fight for the ball during a draw on April 30. 
Piedmont’s Jane Hempeck (middle) defends Urban’s Lily Means (12) while Highlanders goalkeeper Annika Hattan-Kutter (70) watches.
Grayson Hoe and Vivienne O’Dell each had two goals for Urban. Lily Means had the other goal for the Blues, who finished the season 9-5.
“I’ve been playing on this team since freshman year,” said Guzdar, a senior. “We haven’t won NCS first round since we’ve been together. We’ve been playing at a consistent level and we got homefield advantage, which is fun.
“Two years ago, we had 10 seniors. Last year was a rebuilding year.” Guzdar added that although Piedmont may not have had some of the stars other teams had, the whole team played together.
Said Schickendanz, “It feels like out team is maturing. We grew together in the offseason.”
Piedmont won its first West Alameda County Conference championship since 2019. That team won the NCS title.