JAY – Jay’s best offense came after the whistle stopped play.

Senior Liz LeBlanc notched a goal and added an assist, and Gina Nemi scored what proved to be the winning goal as Jay held on for a 3-1 triumph against Lisbon under sunny skies Monday afternoon.

All three goals by Jay (9-2) came less than a minute after a stop in the action.

The game was important for both teams because each had lost twice and the winner kept pace with leaders and once-beaten Telstar and Mountain Valley, who play each other Wednesday.

Following a timeout, Jay controlled the play and Nemi redirected a shot that eluded the leg pad of Lisbon goalie Monica Larkin (nine saves). Kelsea Beisaw assisted on the play with 1:03 left in the first half.

“During timeouts I try to keep it basic,” Jay coach Jane DiPompo said. “Play with the skills that got you to this point. Stay aggressive, go after the ball and keep your sticks on the ground. There were a lot of momentum changes in the game”

The Tigers relied on its rotating defense, led by sweeper Mallory Bonnevie and halfbacks Emily Boivin, Hillary Chaney and sisters Betsy and Eliza Gemelli to keep the Greyhounds offensive thrust moving the ball around the circle.

Lisbon (7-3) tried spreading the field in an effort to put pressure on Tigers goalie Sierra Loon, who came up with seven saves. Makayla Stevens pushed ahead and received crossing passes from Kelly Bourgoin on the right wing, but the stick was off the ground.

“We don’t have a superstar,” Lisbon coach Mark Stevens said. “After losing nine seniors from last year, people didn’t feel we’d be where we are now. But, every one is working together and with a tough closing schedule, so we can hopefully move up in from eighth in Heal Points.”

Jay moved the ball around diagonally with Katie Hall, Bryndi Richards, Nemi and LeBlanc, which prevented Lisbon from keying on one player. The Tigers have eight different players who have scored a goal or have assists.

“We tried to switch things up,” Hill said. “That meant not trying to do to much and being predictable.”

Lisbon drew first blood when Stevens scored on an advancing pass by Kait Dingley with 19:23 left in the first half. The play started on the left, and Stevens hit the ball into the far corner.

The Tigers had a burst and was awarded a penalty corner. LeBlanc converted a Hall pass to tie the game 1-1, 39 seconds later.

“Lisbon picked up the pace in the second half,” Jay forward Shayna Meserve said. “They were determined and would not go away. It always good having the home-field advantage and it helped us today.”

Meserve took a shot and the ball got behind Larkin, but Greyhound defender Brook Merritt rotated back to clear it away. Jay held advantages in shots and in penalty corners. Beisaw scored an insurance goal in second half.