Girls lacrosse is getting ready for the upcoming playoffs with a record of 13-3-1. The Trevians are working hard to defeat their approaching rivals and win the state championship for the first time since 2008.
Peter Collins, the girls head coach, said the dynamics of the team are strong, and when they feed off one another’s talent, they have great success.
“The team has good synergy and gets along very well,” said Collins. “The biggest areas of improvement have been in draw controls, our pressure defense, and patience on offense.”
The season started strong with three consecutive wins against Oak Park-River Forest (16-3), Lyons Township (19-2), and Deerfield (21-3). The first, and only, tie came against Lassiter (15-15), which ended up going into overtime. The girls then suffered their first two losses in a row at the hands of St. Stephen-St. Agnes (16-6), and Good Counsel (12-6). But the Trevs quickly began dominating again, winning games against Holy Child (16-9), Maine South (22-0), Lake Forest (11-6), and Glenbrook South (13-5).
Senior and captain Katy Weeks looks forward to the rest of season, noticing how well her team has come together, worked hard, and continued to improve.
“I think we have come together really well as a team, which definitely shows on the field,” said Weeks. “In terms of skills, we are headed in the right track. Everyone knows we have a lot of work to do if we want to become a great team.”
Then came the game against Loyola. New Trier had the first goal of the game and kept possession for the beginning minutes but, by half time, the Ramblers were dominating and had a 6-2 lead. However, the Trevians came back in the second half, holding off Loyola and scoring three straight goals, bringing the score to a close 6-5. Yet Loyola’s offense proved too powerful and came back finishing the game 12-8.
Senior captain Kelsey Murray views the loss as a learning experience. By spotting early mistakes, she thinks the team can improve for their next game against Loyola.
“We had a lot to learn overall, on defense and offense,” said Murray. “But we did have a few shining moments in that game where we did great things, and that gives us hope. If we play like we did in those minutes when we dominated, we will be able to beat them next time.”
The loss against Loyola didn’t keep the Trevs down for long. In their next game against Montini, the girls took control and prevailed over their opponents. The game started with the Broncos taking a 8-5 lead by the end of the half. Montini came out strong again scoring four more goals with only sixteen minutes left. But New Trier began to focus and rallied, tying the game 12-12 with 7:50 left to play.
The Trevians won the draw and passed to Murray who gave New Trier the lead of 13-12. With a huge save from goalie Allison Fitzgerald, the Trevs gained possession once again, ran down the clock, scores once more from junior Betsy Kvam to finish the game with a major comeback and a 14-12 win.
Senior captain Claire McCain, knew her team would come back for an impressive finish. She guided her teammates with confidence and determination.
“This team is capable of great things and I think that showed in the game against Montini,” said McCain. “There wasn’t a second in that game where I didn’t believe we were going to come out with the win. They are a very talented team but you could tell in the second half we wanted it more. I could tell everyone was hungry to get back on the field and show Montini what New Trier girls lacrosse is all about. I’ve gotta say, I don’t think Montini knew what was coming in the second half,” said McCain.
Since that game, New Trier has been on another winning streak. The team played against Glenbrook North for their Senior Night. Coming out strong against the Spartans and with leadership from the upperclassmen, the Trevs defeated GBN 16-3. Other wins include Blake (12-11), Evanston (16-3), Hinsdale Central (14-8), and Sycamore (12-8).
With more games approaching, senior Sarah Kennedy has been out with a hand injury, but is ready to get back and play with the team.
“I love being part of the team,” said Kennedy. “Everyone is so enthusiastic and fun to be around.”
With playoffs approaching in these next few weeks, the girls will be showing leadership and working hard to attain the title of the 2013 State Champions.