Nora Giordano has seen her fair share of exciting lacrosse games throughout her outstanding four-year career as a Montclair standout. But the senior midfielder has not witnessed too many comebacks and finishes any more impressive than her team’s recent come-from-behind 7-6 Essex County tournament semifinal triumph against perennial title-holder West Essex, which was achieved in a fiveovertime marathon contest April 28.

And, even though the second-seeded Mounties fell to favored and topseeded Glen Ridge, 11-9, in a hardfought final this past Saturday in Verona, Giordano and company are looking to continue their positive momentum from the past two weeks as the team has demonstrated great perseverance in performing well in a number of high-octane matches.

Giordano scored three goals and had two assists against Glen Ridge in the final as she continued to build on her own history-making season while leading a spirited effort by the Mounties.

MHS displayed the same neversay- die attitude that it had in the recent semifinal win over West Essex, which was particularly thrilling as the Mounties scored three goals in the final six minutes to tie that contest, 6-6, and then won in the fifth extra session on a goal by sophomore Abby Romano.

What made the entire comeback effort extra special for the Lehigh University- bound Giordano was the fact her younger sister, freshman attacker 

Katie, scored the tying goal as the seasoned veteran big sister was able to take joy in seeing the next wave of Mountie laxladies - including one from her own family - provide more evidence that the future is indeed bright for Montclair.

“I am enjoying this season a great deal because we have a team that has a terrific mix of older and younger girls who all get along; and to have Katie score the goal to tie the West Essex county tournament game was a great thrill for me as well as incredibly important for keeping our chances alive at the time,” said Nora Giordano, who scored 23 goals and recorded 20 assists as the Mounties recently won five of eight games. “I know that my high school career is nearing an end now with May underway, and to see girls like Katie and (sophomore) Natalie-Rose (Walls Tarver) emerge as terrific players among a great group of younger girls on our team makes me happy to realize how bright the future is for Montclair girls lacrosse.”

Giordano has become the school’s all-time leading scorer with 186 goals after last Saturday’s three-goal output versus Glen Ridge, surpassing the standard previously held by Catherine Williams (Class of 2009, University of Maryland), who had 185.

Giordano, who is also adept at setting up teammates for goals, entered this week with a career total of 78 assists in her senior campaign.

The current Mountie standout is the program's alltime career points leader with 264, topping Kayla Jennings' (MHS Class of 2015) previous mark of 255.

Giordano achieved first place on the points list when she scored three goals and had an assist in the Mounties’ 9-8 win at Verona on May 2.

Kayla Jennings, who is the daughter of Montclair's veteran coach Ann Jennings, is currently a co-captain for the Boston College women’s soccer team.

Giordano has 44 goals and 32 assists for 76 points through the first 14 games for MHS after scoring 66 goals as a junior, 63 as a sophomore and 13 as a freshman reserve.

She also entered this week leading the team with 51 draw controls and 49 ground balls.

Even with the fact both the school scoring and total points records were there to be surpassed this past week, the emphasis remained focused on playing the game in a team-first capacity.

“I certainly know about the records, but I tried to keep those thoughts in the back of my mind, and not let it affect the way I play,” Giordano explained. “The main emphasis for me is always trying to keep my teammates involved as we try to score a goal and winning games and playing well as a team are most important to me.”

In the semifinal win over West Essex, Giordano scored just one goal but had two assists and did her usual solid job as an all-around player, including seven draw controls and six ground balls. Fellow senior leaders Missy Wrede (three goals) and Colgate-bound Olivia Lynch (16 saves in net) also excelled among the veteran Mounties in the tension-packed game.

Prior to the match with Wessex, Montclair edged the North Caldwell regional school, 12-10, on April 26 as Giordano scored five goals and had three assists.

Before that, in a 14-8 win over Ramapo on April 24, she had four goals and five assists plus 10 draw controls and six ground balls. In the Mounties’ 14-5 loss to Glen Ridge on April 23 she contributed two goals and three assists, and in the Essex quarterfinal 15-9 win over Millburn on April 21, she scored five goals and had four assists plus seven draw controls.

The future Lehigh Mountain Hawk has been taking draw controls on a regular basis for the first time, a new role for her when it was determined that she was the best one on the roster to assume that important function to help her team gain possessions.

“I was glad to step in and take the draw controls,” said Giordano. “Throughout my career the seniors have always stepped up to provide great leadership and be a terrific example to the younger players as far as what has to come first to help the team, and everyone tries to follow that example, which coach Jennings always stresses.”

Jennings, a former standout player herself at Montclair and the University of Massachusetts, is in her 15th season at the helm and has now guided the Mounties to the county final in three of the last four years, including two in a row versus Glen Ridge.

Montclair also lost to the Ridgers, 18-11, in last year’s final at Livingston and won the school’s only girls lacrosse county title in 2015, edging West Essex, 14-13, in three overtimes.

Giordano has continued an impressive list of highscoring Mountie laxladies during her career, including Jennings’ daughters Kayla and Jillian (MHS Class of 2017 - 162 points; who, like her sister, is playing women’s soccer at Boston College) and 2015 MHS graduates Lindsey Ewertsen (245 points with the Mounties, then women’s lacrosse at Columbia University), Julia Albert (197 points - Mary Washington College) and Amanda Romano (154 points - Elon University and Rutgers).

Coach Jennings, who has seen them all before and in the present, has nothing but praise for the historymaking Giordano.

“Nora is a great player,” said the veteran Mounties' lax mentor. “She has been on the varsity since she was a freshman, is a fierce competitor and is one of the most coachable players I’ve ever had.

“She has great stick skills, good vision, is quick on her feet, and is a team player who has a fantastic work ethic!”

And, while Nora will be ready to take her skills to Bethlehem, Pa. this fall to join the Lehigh women’s lacrosse team, the Giordano tradition with Mountie girls lacrosse will continue. Her older sister, Hannah, now a junior at Georgetown, is a former Mountie laxlady, while the aforementioned Katie, is already making her impact felt as a ninth-grader and first-year varsity performer. A fourth family member will be on her way in a few years as sixth-grader Lizzie is reportedly another Giordano to keep an eye on as far as demonstrating her talents in the sport.

Dad Don is a former standout player in both Freeport, N.Y. and with the Yale University’s men’s lacrosse team, while mom Melissa is a huge supporter of all the lacrosse players in the family.

“My parents are always there for us, and it’s been fun to have all my sisters involved in the game,” said Nora. And, I wouldn’t be surprised if Katie and Lizzie break any records I have before their high school careers are over.

“It’s been a fabulous experience being part of such a great lacrosse program that coach Jennings has established through the years at Montclair, and I’m happy that my family can continue to be a big part of it for years to come.”