By Rich Chrampanis
RUMSON – Rumson-Fair Haven is the defending Shore Conference girls lacrosse champion and a defending state champion. But Trinity Hall made an early claim to take over the top spot in Monmouth and Ocean counties in 2026.
The Monarchs’ Chiara Donohue put on an absolute show, scoring five goals to power her team past the Bulldogs 8-6, improving its record to a perfect 9-0 on the season.
Donahue, a junior committed to Duke and a likely All-American candidate next year, was virtually unstoppable from the opening whistle. She erupted for a hat-trick in the first quarter alone, including two clinical 8-meter shots, as Trinity Hall raced out to a stunning 5-0 lead after one. Her fifth goal of the game, a breathtaking individual effort in which she navigated through the entire RFH defense, was the highlight of the game. Donahue now has 57 goals in 10 games, putting a 100-goal season well within reach.
“I think we just came out with a lot of intensity and a lot of excitement,” Donahue said. “We’ve been waiting for this game and we had a bunch of underclassmen step up, which I think is huge, and we just started scoring and we were able to get rolling.”
Underclassmen stepping up was evident early, as sophomore Serena DeRosa scooped a loose ball and fed junior Rosie Spiropoulos for an early score. Trinity Hall sophomore goalie Anna Farrow was sensational in net, finishing with 11 saves, including back-to-back stops on RFH’s Chase Memmott and Chloe Kelly in the first quarter, which proved critical in preserving the Monarchs’ early cushion.
Trinity Hall led 7-0 before Rumson-Fair Haven mounted an impressive second-half comeback. Kelly, a junior committed to Ohio State, scored both Bulldog goals in the third quarter to spark a rally, and sophomore Becca Newell added a hat-trick as RFH outscored Trinity Hall 5-1 in the second half, cutting the deficit to two before time expired.
DeRosa’s goal in the fourth quarter, Trinity Hall’s only score over the final two periods, proved to be the cushion the Monarchs needed. While the Monarchs would suffer their first loss over the weekend to Oak Knoll, the 8-6 RFH final sets up what could be another marquee matchup when these two powerhouses potentially meet again in the Shore Conference Tournament.
“RFH is an amazing team,” Donohue said. “They have such talent. Those are my teammates on my club team and so it’s so great to play competitive games against them.”
The article originally appeared in the April 30 – May 6, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
