Lawrence girls soccer coach Emily Palombo was asked recently which player on her team she felt was underrated. The 12th-year boss quickly went to one name. Ava Donnelly. “Ava has such a will to win,” Palombo said. The Cardinals (13-8) would not be playing in their first sectional final in 24 years with a chance to lift the trophy for the first time in program history on Thursday without the sophomore. Donnelly has two goals and two assists in Lawrence’s three playoff victories, including the game-winning goal on a long shot in the semifinal upset of top-seeded Hopewell Valley. She has 11 goals and seven assists for the season after recording just two of each during her freshman year. So, maybe, not so underrated anymore. “She never stops moving,” Palombo said. “Then she’s such a great teammate, she’s always cheering everyone on. I’m so proud of the way she has stepped up and the role she has for us.” That role has taken on an even greater importance in the playoffs because of the absence of standout midfielder Becca Boggs and her 12 goals and 17 assists. Donnelly has shuffled between being played as a center forward or as a winger throughout the three playoff games. She’s also been responsible for taking the corner kicks, and delivered both of those assists in the quarterfinal victory over Freehold Borough. It was also her corner that resulted in the crucial penalty kick Lawrence was awarded against Hopewell. “We’re so tight as a team and we all have the same energy,” Donnelly said. “We automatically know we’re going to work for each other, work as hard as we can for each other and that’s where the energy comes from.” Standing between Lawrence and the biggest win in program history is Jackson Memorial. The third-seeded Jaguars (9-10-1) defeated Ewing and Red Bank Regional in the first two rounds before upsetting second-seeded Brick Memorial in the semifinals in a shootout. University of Delaware-bound senior goalkeeper Gianna Berkley was the hero with 13 saves in the match. Sophomore Ella Cooke is the top scorer with eight goals and five assists. Lawrence is led offensively by CVC Gold Boot winner senior Michaela Little and her 20 goals. Junior Caelyn LaFlamme has eight goals, but does most of her work as a bruising box-to-box midfielder. The Cardinals have kept a program-record 10 cleansheets, with a back four of Caitlyn Jones, Emma Skinner, Lilliana Calderone and Ayden Anderson in front of goalkeeper Vlada Kachurak. “It’s going to be the same energy as the Hopewell game,” Donnelly said. “We’re going to come out just as strong and we’re going to work hard as a team. And, hopefully, have a good result.” Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. “We go and keep doing what we’re doing,” Palombo said. “This group loves each other. We’ve talked about how much they need to use their love to drive them and stick together, so I’m just so happy they got to this. They’ve earned it.”