As the Varsity Girls’ lacrosse team got into position to play non-league rival Archbishop Mitty, the shrill sounding of the buzzer penetrated the otherwise peaceful and unperturbed atmosphere of Davis field, signaling the start of the game.

The Varsity girls’ lacrosse team faced Mitty at 4 p.m. on Thursday at Davis Field in their 10th game of the season. Despite their efforts, the Eagles were unable to pull off a victory, losing to Mitty 7-12.

Head Coach Andrew Irvine articulates his confidence in the ability of his players, and recognizes Mitty as a tough opponent. He has high hopes for his team as they reach the halfway point in their season.

“Today’s game was a testimony to all the progress these girls have been making throughout the season. We were able to give [Mitty] a run for their money, and get some really good goals, and show a lot of progress in ground balls. Our defense has grown amazingly; I’m looking for our offense picking up. As you can see at the end of the game, we were able to come together.”

In the moments following the signaling of the buzzer, Mitty scored the first goal of the game. Soon after, the Eagles tied the score at 1-1 with a goal of their own off of a well-timed assist.

During the first half, Mitty took the lead early on by scoring several consecutive goals and gained momentum steadily. In the second half, the Eagles came back strong, scoring goal after goal. A group of twenty spectators consisting of the junior varsity team, friends, and parents watched the game, and at intervals the team was met by audible fanfare from the bleachers.

Varsity defensive player Alicia Clark (12) seeks to improve her playing this season, and was satisfied with her team’s overall performance.

“For the team as a whole, I hope that this season we will improve our last year’s standing in the league with some personal victories over well-matched opponents…Today’s game was definitely some of the best lacrosse we’ve played all season. We were intimidated going into it I think, but when we got warmed up I think our defense connected really well and that our offense scored some great goals.”

As the game progressed, the day’s sunny, clear blue skies and typical California weather gave way to gray skies and sporadic rainfall. The onset of the unpleasant weather led to the bleachers slowly emptying, but the junior varsity team along with a few loyal supporters remained to cheer the team on. Though the Eagles’ picked up on both their offensive and defensive fronts, they were unable to cover lost ground. By the end of the game, the rain was falling steadily, but the players remained tenacious.

At times, the Eagles were unable to overcome Mitty’s offense, but easily circumvented the defensive players and the goalie. The key players of the game included Hannah Bollar (11) who scored four goals, Mabel Luo (12) who scored two, and Mary Liu (12) who scored one. The goalie, Christine Lee, saved a total of 20 shots on goal.

Sophomore Sai Sunkara’s words were nearly synonymous with those of Clark. Her personal goal for the remainder of the season is to take more risks; risks that she believes will enable her to play her best and build up confidence.

“As a team, I think we need to work on settling the ball, working against a double team and our offense plays. We’ve been working on those already in practice, so I think we’re set to improve on those pretty soon.“

That being said, Sunkara was ecstatic about the overall skill set, mentality, and work ethic of her teammates.

“Today, we played the best we have played all season. We knew what we were getting into, and we kept a positive attitude. Our defense was on point and working their [butts] off. We gelled as a team and were working together amazingly. We gave Mitty a run for their money.”

JV player and starter Taylor Iantosca (9) witnesses the talent of the Varsity team every day. She acknowledged the strong competition that the Varsity girls face on a weekly basis.

“They are a really positive and hardworking team. They are also really good players that just have tough competition. They are also great at realizing their mistakes, fixing them, and informing the JV team about them so we can learn as well, making them as good as mentors as they are players.”

Freshman Sarah Baz, another starting player on Junior Varsity, echoed the sentiment.

“They are doing really well together. It’s a tough season having a lot of the starters from last year be at college. They definitely have improved playing as a team.”

The game was followed by a Junior Varsity win of 7-5 against Mitty. The Eagles’ next game is on Monday, March 31 against Santa Catalina at 4 p.m. on Davis field.