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Montclair High Lacrosse: Nora Giordano Scores 100th Career Goal

BY Julie Kayzerman  |  FRIDAY, APR 21, 2017 3:00PM  |  COMMENTS (0)

Nora Giordano, a midfielder, is a junior commit to Lehigh University. Photo: James Lattanzio

After being fouled in the critical scoring area, Montclair High School girls’ lacrosse junior Nora Giordano was given a free position shot on the center hash – her favorite spot to shoot from.

 

The moment the whistle blew, the midfielder took a few steps before the ripping the ball as hard as she could into the opposing Morristown goal. 

 

The ball hit the upper right corner of the net and just like that, Giordano scored her 100th career goal on the day of her 17th birthday in the Mounties’ 12-6 loss to Morristown on Wednesday, April 19.

 

“It was the perfect day for it,” Giordano said. “I knew I only needed three (more goals) and my coach kept saying ‘play your game, don’t think about it too much, it’ll all come naturally,’ which looking back, she was so right.” 

Nora Giordano celebrates 100th career goal surrounded by family. Photo: Ann Jennings

Head coach Ann Jennings called a timeout as Giordano’s teammates crowded her with congratulatory hugs and a big poster from the sideline.

 

“It meant a lot for them to all be that happy for me,” Giordano said.

The junior midfielder recalled being a freshman and watching senior teammate Julia Albert record her 100th career goal, also against Morristown.

 

Even still, Giordano never imagined she’d be reliving the same moment just two years later. 

Giordano, a junior commit to Lehigh University, has compiled 130 career points during her three years on Varsity with 100 goals and 30 assists alongside 103 ground balls. She currently leads the Mounties this season with 24 goals.

However, the midfielder wasn’t always such a dominant threat on the attack.

 

“The beginning of my sophomore year, I was playing OK,” she said. “After my second game, my dad told me I needed to break through and gain confidence.” So after practice one day, Giordano and her father, who played lacrosse, spent some extra time working. “He just said ‘you need to stop thinking and just start doing. The moment you can stop thinking, you’ll play a different game,’” she said. And with that change in mindset, Giordano scored five times in her next game and hasn’t looked back since.

“He’s really taught me a lot along the way and he’s so supportive,” she said of her father. “At the same time, he’s always pushing me and I love that.”

 

Giordano actually grew up playing soccer as her primary sport, but during her freshman year playing lacrosse, things just seemed to click and her top focus became about lacrosse.

 

“Nora is a great player, she has been on varsity since she was a freshman,” Jennings said. “She is a fierce competitor and one of the most coachable players I have had. She has great stick skills, good vision, is quick on her feet, is a team player and has great work ethic.”

 

Still, despite her success, Giordano is just happy to be a part of the team.

“A lot of people stepped up this year,” she said. “Supporting each other is definitely a very big thing in Montclair, and keeping each other motivated.”

 

While scoring her 200th career goal during her senior year is now in the back of her mind, Giordano looks to continue leading the Mounties (4-2) to success as they have their sights set on an Essex County Tournament Championship. 

“I always look forward to lacrosse season because I just know that either way it goes, it’s going to be fun,” Giordano said.