The girls lacrosse team has consistently been one of the best teams in the state, and have lived up to their reputation yet again this year. They finished the regular season with an 18-1 record and went undefeated in conference play (14-0). This is the best overall record since the 2020-2021 season, as well as their third conference title in the past five seasons.
“This whole year was one big memorable moment. We feel that we have achieved the expectations and goals we set from the beginning of our season,” senior captain and midfielder Alivia Gurley said.
Over the past few seasons, the team has developed a rivalry with R.J. Reynolds. They lost their two matchups against RJR last year but this season the switch has been flipped as they have defeated Reynolds in all three matchups this season, including a 14-9 victory over the Demons to win the conference tournament championship this past Thursday..
Though the regular season has come to a close, it was not without its fair share of notable moments throughout. Whether it be senior midfielder and captain Bailey Fox scoring her 100th career goal or Alivia Gurley getting her 200th career point.
“I had no idea it was my 100th career goal until after the game because I was so focused on beating Reynolds, but I was super excited when I found out afterward,” Fox said.
Following the conference tournament, the team now heads into state playoffs on May 1. Coming off of a 21-2 loss to Charlotte Catholic in the third round last season, they are looking to redeem themselves with a deeper run into states this year.
“This year’s non-conference schedule was really tough and we got to experience winning and losing to very talented teams which will help us as we enter the postseason. Coach Brawley keeps a mindset where he focuses on the current and not the past or future. He does a really good job keeping us focused on taking everything one game at a time and not dwelling on the past,” sophomore attacker Gabby Vestal said.
While this team has made the most of their opportunities thus far, they still have a lot to look forward to and many more goals to accomplish. The next couple of weeks can be what separates a great team from an unforgettable one.
