Izzy Stevenson knows what Libby Kennedy is about to do just by reading her expression.
The Souhegan High School junior midfielders joke that they have twin-like telepathy on the lacrosse field. It’s a product of playing together since they were kindergartners and becoming best friends in the process.
After their Souhegan days are over, Stevenson and Kennedy will continue strengthening their chemistry in college as members of the Boston University women’s lacrosse team.
“They don’t even need to talk,” said Sabers coach McKinley Curro Sbordone, who played at Souhegan and BU. “It’s innate for them at this point. It is really cool that they get to continue that in the next phase at BU.”
Kennedy, an All-American last year, compared both players’ games to two puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly.
Kennedy “is so driven to get to goal,” Stevenson said, and Stevenson, a prolific passer, knows how to set up her best friend to score.
In Souhegan’s 9-8 NHIAA Division I semifinal overtime win over Pinkerton Academy last year, Stevenson got the ball to a cutting Kennedy, who then scored the game-winning goal on a top-shelf shot. It’s one of the duo’s bread-and-butter plays.
When Souhegan, last year’s D-I runner-up, beat Windham 17-3 at home on Monday, Kennedy and Stevenson combined for 11 goals. On one of Kennedy’s six goals, she slipped by her defender toward the front of the goal before scoring off a perfectly timed pass from Stevenson.
“We have different roles but they work so well together,” Kennedy said. “… We don’t try to do each other’s roles. We kind of just go off of each other.”
Over Souhegan’s 10-1 start, Stevenson had 54 points (28 goals, 26 assists) and Kennedy had 51 points (40 goals, 11 assists). The Sabers hosted Andover (Mass.) on Wednesday night.
Kennedy also takes the draw for Souhegan and, frequently, Stevenson picks up the ensuing ground ball.
Whenever needed, the Sabers know they can rely on Stevenson and Kennedy’s two-man game to come through for them.
Through playing youth, club and high school lacrosse and training together, Stevenson and Kennedy have adopted each other’s strengths, too.
Stevenson has taught Kennedy how to improve her off-ball and cutting abilities. Kennedy has helped Stevenson learn how to read defenders and dodge better.
“We go hand-in-hand with everything,” Stevenson said. “I think that’s what makes our partnership so good is we are just so compatible.”
Kennedy and Stevenson were drawn to BU because of Terriers head coach Lauren Morton and her staff and the opportunity to go to college in Boston.
They both fell in love with the school while participating in a BU camp last summer.
As they get comfortable with their new school and team, it will be helpful to have each other to lean on, they said.
“We’re not just teammates going together,” Kennedy said. “We’re best friends going together, which is really cool.”