Ladies Lax Shooting for the Stars
As the weather outside is heating up, so is the competition on the lacrosse field. After four big wins against Villa-Duschene, Clayton, Barat and Nerix Hall to kick off the season, the Lady Crusaders are off to a solid 4-1 start. The future is looking bright for this team as they aim for top ten state ranking this season.
The season started with a bang, a close 10-9 win over Villa-Duchesne. The girls then added to their momentum with an upset win against Clayton. Knowing this game wouldn’t be easy, the girls took the field full of confidence and played their hearts out. A combination of teamwork and positive attitude resulted in the victory.
“Going into the game against Clayton, we knew we had something to prove. And I think after that win is when it really set in that these goals we’ve set for ourselves are actually attainable things, and not just something coach wrote in an email countless times,” said junior goalkeeper Liz Wagner.
The Crusaders played both a strong defensive and offensive game against Clayton. Sophomore defender Brooke Wood shined on both sides of the field, helping hold off the Clayton offense and scoring her first varsity goal.
“Scoring my first varsity goal was amazing. We needed a goal, so I felt like I really helped the team after I scored. The best part wasn’t scoring the goal, it was running to my smiling teammates afterwards,” said Wood.
The Crusaders continued to stay hot, shutting out Barat on Friday and outlasting Nerix Hall in close game Monday that ended with a last minute game winning goal from junior Sveta Wunnenberg.
Teamwork is essential to winning when it comes to any sport. This team has a strong bond on and off the field which is why they play so well together. Hours of practices and team bonding are what keep them performing at their best on game day.
“If our team didn’t have this strong bond that we do I don’t think we would be even half as successful as we have been. It’s not really about playing the other team, it’s about playing with your own team, so the better you know them, the better you function as a unit,” said Wagner.
While the lacrosse program at St. Dominic is still fairly young, the enthusiasm and support for the sport have grown rapidly throughout the years. Attending a game down at the grass fields is an exciting and unique experience only found in a sport as entertaining as lacrosse. Fans are guaranteed an adrenaline packed, fast paced game that’ll have them cheering for our Crusaders.
“We like to put on a show and the game itself is pretty fast. We play hard and we love it, so it’s fun. You can expect to see us excited, so hopefully it’s infectious,” said Coach Dan Hancock.
Though they’re off to a solid start so far, the lacrosse team still has a long road to go. If they keep up the energy and hard work it’s sure to result in a successful season.
“We go out there to play. We’re not too worried about much else, so we’re not too worried about having success later. People continue to underestimate us, but we’re for real. The other teams should be worried about how they’re going to stop us from being successful,” said Coach Hancock.
With a passionate coach and a team full of dedicated players, the sky is the limit for these girls this season.