Sometimes the final score of a game is not indicative of the level of competition or how each team really is doing for the season.

However, it's hard to say that undefeated Brentsville District's 20-2 girls lacrosse victory over winless Liberty doesn't suggest one team is at the peak of its performance and the other one is still building for the future.

The Tigers (9-0 overall) led 11-0 through the first 24 minutes and 59.5 seconds of the first half until senior attack Cassie Stroud deposited a top-shelfer to put the Eagles (0-5) on the scoreboard right before the halftime siren sounded Monday night in Bealeton.

Stroud, who celebrated her 18th birthday the same day, explained that while she could find a hole through the Tigers' backfield, the Eagles' competitors from Nokesville played an intensive, physical game.

"They use their bodies on defense more than other teams," she said, adding that some of her team's shots were thrown off by body checks.

Brentsville goal keeper Brittany Larson, who stopped 11 out of 13 shots on the night, explained that Brentsville's defense "definitely knows how to slide very well.

"They can see where the player's coming down the field and I can direct them toward where the ball is, to where to get to, and basically where to be an option if I get the ball," she said.

On transitions, Larson said her teammates go "out" on the field, not "up" the field.

"I don't pass up the middle," she said. "When I clear out, we end up going up the field really fast."

According to Stroud, one of the ways to successfully penetrate the Brentsville back line is by drawing the defenders out away from the goal toward the attacks. Then, when they cave around a player, a quick dish off can create opportunities.

"I had to make sure they wouldn't call me on charging," she said.

Stroud's goal came after starting with a dead ball placed near 10-yard-line number mark on the field, with less than 5 seconds to go before halftime. She then headed across the turf, approaching Larson from the goalkeeper's right side toward the south sideline, aiming for the goal on the west side of the stadium.

With a flick of the wrist, she buried a top-shelf goal with half a second remaining.

Liberty's other goal came after trailing 14-1 with about 20 minutes left in the second half. Shelbie Olsen's shot careened off Larson's left side and found the net near the pipe.

Brentsville, however, did not allow the momentum to shift. Instead, the Tigers buried four goals within the next seven minutes while Larson staved off future attempts.

Junior attack Rachel Wall led Brentsville in overall scoring with four goals. Ten of her teammates also put points on the board, including multiple goals by senior attacks Bethany Hatcher (3) and Morgan Wernecke (2), senior midfielder Stephanie Pratapas (2), junior attack Kristen Tharpe (2) and freshman attack Kristina Wall (2).

Senior attack Nathalie Corry, junior attack Samantha Reedy, freshman midfielder Lauren Colletti and senior defender Molly Ramsden each had one goal.

"Well, we definitely had them on speed today and just we've been working a lot of on our picks," said Wall.

The junior mentioned that one of the differences between the Tigers' current team versus the 2010 squad is that the latter team featured a "pretty dominate player" in Emily Johnson.

"This year, we're all starting to step up to the plate," she said.

Larson said the midfielder Hatcher in particular is proving to be crucial in transitions as she’s "very fast and she's got great stick-work, so she knows how to put the ball where she wants it."

"She comes in high and when we're settled, she's high and has to be the second option, just an option," added Wall.

Wall also mentioned the height of the 5-foot-9 Pratapas, previously a standout on the Brentsville basketball team, and sophomore Zohra Allen gives Brentsville advantages against shorter opponents.

"They have the knock downs. They get the ball controls a lot of the time just because they're up higher than all of us," said the junior. "Those are definitely things that are helping us out."