After nine years of playing a pressure-packed position like goalie, Urbana sophomore Grace Phillips has learned to ignore her nerves.

In a girls lacrosse season like this in Frederick County, where so many of the teams are packed together and so many of the games are so close, that’s a good quality to have.

Phillips came through once again Thursday night, helping the Hawks preserve a two-goal lead down the stretch at Linganore for an 8-6 victory over the Lancers.

The win brought Urbana back to .500 at 5-5 and, more importantly, snapped a four-game losing streak.

“This was a big one for us,” Phillips said.

Close games have been somewhat of a theme for the Hawks this season, as six of their 10 games have been decided by four goals or less.

That has put a lot of pressure on Phillips. But she can handle it after playing youth and club lacrosse for the past nine years.

Though Urbana’s offense has come and gone throughout the season, Phillips’ performance has not dipped.

“It’s been great,” Hawks coach Ann Eickelberg said. “She has been so consistent.”

Eickelberg calls Phillips a good listener.

“We ask her to do something, and she does it,” Eickelberg said.

That’s a trait she shares with many of her teammates.

“The great thing is we teach them something and, the next night, you see it in a game,” Eickelberg said. “They are great learners.”

For example, Urbana’s goal was to have no yellow cards against Linganore. Untimely penalties are one of the things that have cost the Hawks in some of their close losses. And, sure enough, they didn’t receive one yellow card against the Lancers.

Urbana’s offense is young, which might help explain some of the inconsistency. Three of the team’s leading scorers are freshmen, and all of them had big games against Linganore.

Shaye Morrell and Alyson Casey each scored two goals, and Lilly Stephens added a goal and two assists. Morrell also had an assist.

Also contributing goals for Urbana, which trailed 5-3 at one point in the first half, were senior Gabby Punturiero and juniors Kendall LeVora and Maggie Yockman.

“We have six strong seniors that we will lose at the end of this season, but we have some sophomores and juniors ready to step up,” Eickelberg said. “We are kind of stacked for the next few years. It’s kind of exciting.”

Linganore (2-7), meanwhile, has made great strides this season, even though the record does not reflect it.

The Lancers have outscored the opposition this season, putting in 93 goals as opposed to 89 goals against. They have lost four games by one goal, including two in overtime.

Last season, they reached double-figure goals in just five games and struggled to a 5-10 finish.

“I am proud of the girls for the hustle and the fight they have,” Linganore coach Jackie Sowers said. “We are improving every game.”

Emma Roerty, an Army recruit, and sister Sarah Roerty each finished with two goals for Linganore. Adrianna D’Amore and Lindsay Novesal both added one.