It was only a matter of seconds before Emma Gill made her mark in Tuesday’s lacrosse match at North Quincy High.

The Duxbury High senior midfielder won the opening draw, setting up teammate Caroline Kent for a quick 1-0 lead.

In the second half, with Duxbury comfortably ahead, 12-3 , Gill once again entered the draw circle. She locked sticks with North Quincy’s Marissa McGue , awaiting the referee’s signal. Once the whistle shrilled, Gill flipped the ball toward herself in the air, and caromed it back to an open teammate, Maeve Gillis. A few passes later, senior KC Williams connected for a double-digit lead.

Duxbury controlled possession of the ball throughout its 16-6 victory. Gill’s work on the draw played an integral role.

“It sets the tempo of it all,’’ said Gill, who has over 70 draw controls this season for the Dragons (11-9).

“If you get the opening draw, you make an impact, and kind of tell the other team that you’re going to be in control.’’

Girls’ lacrosse does not feature the same on-the-ground faceoff style as the boys’ game. Draw control specialists lock sticks at midfield, with the ball lodged in between their stick heads. At the whistle, it’s a battle of strength, strategy and positioning: a battle that determines possession — and often, the outcome of the game.

“We have so many goal scorers and so much talent on the offense,’’ said Duxbury coach Erica Marrocco.

“When we get it off the draw control, we’re golden.’’

At 12-6, the Pembroke High girls have pocketed a Division 2 tourney berth, just one year removed from a 4-12 campaign.

Coach Abby Walsh credits the improvement, at least in part, to better fundamentals in the draw circle.

“The pressure on the draw,’’ said Walsh, “all depends on the other team and how they’re setting up on the circle.’’

Two of her midfielders, senior Erica Tinlin (Mass Elite) and junior Bailey Parks (Laxachusetts) have used their experience with their club programs to hone their skills on the draw.

“They’re very aware of different types of draws that teams do,’’ Walsh said. “I leave it up to them.’’

At Ursuline Academy in Dedham, the prowess of junior middie Alex Rota helped the Bears (9-9) secure a berth in the tournament.

“She has the awareness of when she needs to be going for it,’’ coach Marisol Henderson said of Rota, a Easton resident who has tallied 37 goals, 26 assists, and 57 draw controls this season.

“She’s very aggressive and hardworking.’’

Awareness, a focus on fundamentals, and athleticism are essential, according to Cohasset coach Kully Reardon.

“They have to have quick reflexes,’’ said Reardon. “The second the ref puts their hand up and blows the whistle, they have to be able to turn their wrists.’’

Early in the season, the Skippers experimented with freshman Laney Hixson, a 6-foot middie, as their draw specialist. Hixson would take a draw, then sprint off the field in favor of another player.

But with the state tourney approaching, Reardon has opted for a pair of veterans, sophomore Elle Hansen and senior captain Corey Golden in the circle. Golden tallied seven draw controls in a 19-3 win over Hanover earlier this month.

“It was nice to sort of switch that up,’’ Reardon said. “Have different people put different pressure on the stick.’’

The 19-1 Westwood High squad puts an emphasis on the girls outside the draw circle. Senior Andrea Meincke, who takes many of her team’s draws, said the Wolverines have developed signs to help her communicate with the other middies.

She hopes that her skill on faceoffs will help her get on the field as a freshman at UMass next year.

“I’m hoping taking the draw can help me introduce me to that speed,’’ Meincke said. “Even if it’s two or three draws a game, get me involved.’’

Fow now she, along with star midfielders Haley Connaughton and Jill Reilly are focused on guiding Westwood to a fourth D1 title in six seasons .

Defending D2 state champion Norwell High leans on junior defender Grace Connerty and senior attacker Riley Bergholtz to control draws.

“We feel like that part of our game has definitely improved,’’ said coach Kara Connerty , who is Grace’s aunt.

Pointing to a 13-12 win over Notre Dame Academy earlier this season, Bergholtz said “I think on the draw we were more successful. “That was the difference.’’

“I think of myself more as a midfielder until we win the draw,’’ said Bergholtz, who will continue her career at Holy Cross.

Grace Connerty plays middie on her Mass Elite club team. With the Clippers, she moves up from defense to take faceoffs.

“I’ve done a lot more on the offensive end this year,’’ she said.

“It’s a new person to go into the attacking. The defense may not realize it.’’

These adjustments have allowed players like senior middie Stephanie Croke (62 goals, 21 assists) to flourish.

Duxbury also trots out senior KC Williams (100-plus goals this season) and freshman Julia Barry to take draws.

“I think it definitely comes with practice,’’ said Gill. “I’m able to go either way — pushing and pulling.’’

The Dragons have had to push and pull their way into the D1 tournament. In early May, Duxbury was 4-5. Now, thanks to their work on the draw, they are in the tourney.

“It’s having the option to set the tone from the get-go,’’ Marrocco said. “It can change the entire outcome of a game.’’

Matt MacCormack can be reached at matt.maccormack@globe.com.