Dominating the battle for the ball, the girls lacrosse team beat the Mercy Burlingame Crusaders 17-7, settling the score with its league rival.

The home team dominated the first half of the game, scoring 10 goals before Mercy Burlingame squeaked in its first. At halftime, the score was 14-2.

After the game, the team reflected on its narrow losses to its rivals during the past two years.

“I think last year a couple of those games were a humbling experience, and now we take each game as it comes,” assistant coach Jason Berry said.

Early in the season, the team set a goal to win league and qualify for CCS, after narrowly missing the opportunity last year. Today’s win provides the girls with a spirit that they hope can help them win the league.

To Hannah Bollar (10), the team’s decisive win will set the tone for the rest of the year.

“Everyone who was here last year, we all know how it felt when [Mercy Burlingame] beat us. This win is going to be a huge boost to team morale,” Hannah said.

Goal scorers included Hannah and seniors Tiphaine Delepine, Michelle Douglas, and Wendy Shwe, who had just returned from a college visit in St. Louis.

“I got back late and only got three hours of sleep, but I think the adrenaline just pushed me through the game,” Wendy said. “It’s the best we’ve played all year.”

Coach Andrew Irvine agreed, emphasizing that the game stands as a testament to how strong the team has grown this year.

“We were very happy with the performance we saw today,” he said. “Today’s game was one where we as coaches share the euphoria of what’s going on out there on the field. It’s a good start to an almost weekend.”

Next Monday the girls host Notre Dame High School, whom Berry calls “a formidable opponent.”