Spring has officially sprung, which means warmer weather, longer days, and…….lacrosse season!!!
The North Allegheny Girls’ Lacrosse team kicked off their season two weeks ago with a competitive matchup against Plum that ended in a 13-10 loss for NA. Nevertheless, the Tigers showed that they are a talented team with a lot of potential for the season ahead.
“I’m feeling very excited for the season since I think our team has formed a great bond and we all work really well together,” said junior defender Kate Azar.
Last season didn’t go as well as the team had hoped, ending with a 4-13 record. Despite the tough season, they were still able to qualify for the WPIAL playoffs. However, their post-season career quickly came to an end when Peters Township made the Tigers a first-round exit, beating them 15-9..
Rather than dwelling on past missed opportunities and mistakes, the team is using last season as an opportunity to learn and grow.
“This season I think we can improve on being more consistent throughout the whole game. It is easy to start off strong and then get sloppy, or not have a great start and come back strong in the 2nd half,” said senior captain Sara Donaldson. “I believe we are capable of doing this, and I’m excited to see what we can accomplish.”
Junior midfielder Gracie Lynch added, “Working on our transitions down the field and overall team chemistry will definitely lead us to more success this season.”
The team’s motivation was high coming off of last year and heading into this season as the Tigers knew they had more to offer.
“I feel that we have improved as a whole during the offseason and that if we continue to work hard, we will do well this year,” said Azar.
The girls also realize how important having a good team relationship and bond is for the team’s overall success.
“One of our goals for this year is to become confident and connected as a team. We want to create an environment where everyone is motivated and supporting each other so we can be the best team we can be,” said Donaldson.
“We really want to come together as a team and have a tight bond on and off the field this season. The tighter the bond we have as a team, the more fun everyone has and better we play on the field,” said junior defender Mulaney Stack.
After starting out the season with a loss to Plum, the Tigers rebounded with a triumphant 17-9 victory against Trinity to get their first win of the season. An undeniable attraction of the game was junior attacker Sarah Harlan, who scored an outstanding seven goals in the game and was a huge asset to the team’s success.
Harlan expressed her feelings towards the season so far, saying, “It has started out really promising and I think that we’ll do really well once everyone gets comfortable with everybody’s different playing styles.”
Just as every other year, a new season brings a fresh start for the team. However, this time the dynamic feels even more new as the senior population has gone from nine last year to just three on the team this year.
“I’m very excited for new opportunities as many seniors have left from last year. With many open positions, there are new faces on the varsity team and there are so many good players with great skills that bring a lot to the team!” said junior defender Emery Anderson.
Despite there not being many, the seniors — Reagan Riordan, Donaldson, and Fiola Ragan — are key players and make a huge difference on the team.
A standout midfielder, Riordan will further her lacrosse career after graduation this year, as she announced her commitment to Grove City lacrosse and volleyball to be a dual-sport athlete.
Riordan is off to a hot start for NA this year, as her goal against Plum this season lifted her high school career total to 100.
Unfortunately, the Tigers faced back-to-back losses last week in their two away games against Shaler and Mt. Lebanon. The Tigers now fall to 1-3 on the season.
Looking for a bounce-back win, the team hosts Moon tonight at Newman Stadium at 7pm.
