The girls varsity lacrosse team fell to Braintree Wamps 7-6 on Monday, May 18, at Downes Field. For the Warriors, this game doubled as the final game of the regular season and a senior night that left teammates in smiles and tears alike.
Coach Julianna Malloy said the team found success with their communication, something that is a product of both the coach’s reinforcement and the girls’ collaboration.
“It’s definitely something we work on a lot, and it’s definitely something that we say to them a lot, but it also just comes from their chemistry off the field that translates on the field,” Malloy said.
The Warriors began the first half by building a 2-1 lead but faced adversity when the Wamps scored two more goals before the half’s end.
Despite the score, the Warriors displayed good defense. Senior and captain Elin Lindgren-Palm said the team always puts the emphasis on defense to match the style of other teams.
“In all the years I’ve been here, we’ve been a pretty defense-heavy team just because other teams’ offenses are so good,” Lindgren-Palm said. “We’ve had a lot of practice, and I think the bonds that we’ve built over these four years, especially for the seniors, are just so strong. We know each other, we know how we play.”
The third quarter proved the most burdensome, with both teams scoring until the Warriors took the lead, 5-4. After a grueling battle in the fourth quarter, the Wamps took back the lead with just 45 seconds left on the clock.
Lindgren-Palm said that going into practice next week, the team will focus on offering support to teammates near the goal when needed.
“We’re going to work on being quicker to slide, quicker to look around and see what’s going on and then, as a whole team, just really getting the message [of support] across,” Lindgren said.
Despite the loss, the audience was full of friends and family members who came out to cheer for the full 60 minutes.
Senior and captain Clara Thibault said it meant so much to see her friends on the sidelines encouraging her.
“It’s really great,” Thibault said. “It feels really good when you see all your friends on the side cheering, and it’s really supportive. It makes you want to play harder.”
With the Warriors already in the playoffs, they’ve started to set goals for the postseason. Malloy said she wants her athletes to remain focused through the entirety of the game and value the time they have together.
“We need to make sure we’re playing a full four quarters and a complete game, to not take anybody lightly,” Malloy said. “Really just cherish the time we have left as a team and make every moment and every play count.”
