The girls lacrosse team had a winning regular season and was looking forward to carrying that into the postseason, finally finishing with a 7-2 conference record. The team, 8-5 overall, was trying to make a run at a county championship. However, a 9-7 loss to Oceanside in the first round knocked the Lady Vikings out of the playoffs.
“At the beginning of the season, our ultimate goal was to be conference champions. After losing two tough games and that goal being out of reach, our new goal was to get as far in the playoffs as we could,” said junior Gabby Friedman.
Senior captains Emma Nadel and Natalie Ledwitz, and junior captains Diandra Burton and Mia Walker, have kept the team together. When teams are able to connect with strong chemistry, results are demonstrated on the field. It is the captains’ responsibilities to try and make this happen, and, according to the team, they succeeded.
“This year has been truly unforgettable. Senior captains Emma Nadel and Natalie Ledwitz have been such amazing role models to every member of the team. Every single girl knew their place on this team, whether it was playing every second or cheering on the starters from the bench,” said junior Olivia Ressa.
This year’s team featured new varsity members, boasting Nadel and Ledwitz as its only senior members. Nadel, a multisport athlete, also played for the girls basketball team. Ledwitz focuses on lacrosse, and will continue her career at the Division I level at Old Dominion University.
While these seniors will be missed by the team, the program is being set up for the future.
They have many juniors, sophomores, and even freshmen already playing key roles on the squad.
“I really don’t think this season could have been what it was without our senior captains, Emma and Natalie. They led our team from the snowy days of March through various injuries. Even though we did not do as well as we all wanted, we are determined to come out strong and ready for our 2015 season. Even though we will be missing two key players, we are willing to work harder and hopefully win our conference championships next year,” said sophomore Ashley Randall.
Throughout the season, the team had to play through adversity together.
“It was an honor to be a leader and play with my teammates that are now my sisters,” said Nadel.
The team played in a difficult conference, where the winner is sometimes determined by who shows up for that day. In this case, it was Oceanside. The Vikings ultimately lost 4-2.
“With an unlucky possession that ran out the clock and fell two goals short, everyone stepped up and played their all, and that is everything I could ever ask for,” said Ledwitz.
Despite losing, the Lady Vikings are proud of what they believe was a successful season.
The girls realized that while they did not win the championship, they were still part of a memorable experience.
“Even though we did not make it as far as we hoped, I am so grateful that I was able to be a part of such an amazing experience. I think the entire team played their hearts out against Oceanside. Sadly, we did not come out with a win, but what we did win was a family and an absolutely amazing team,” said freshman Molly Featherston.
In the end, the Lady Vikings are currently building a program that can have success in the future.