In their last match versus Mercy Burlingame, the Dons tied up the game 6-6 in the final five minutes after sophomore Annie Martin scored. It was not until the fourth overtime, when senior Mary Fitzgerald drove the ball up the left side of the field to find the score in her team’s eventual 7-6 win.
The Lady Dons took the game into their hands quickly after each sophomore Emma Clark and senior Juliana Stahr scored, making the game 2-0.
Mercy responded soon after with goals from Daniela Clinton and Kathleen Napier from just outside of the eight meter arc, tying the game at 2-2.
Emerging out of halftime in a tie, both teams would get their chances in the second half at field goal attempts. Aragon sophomore Gaby Navarro served a crucial role as the goalie, making two vital saves shortly after taking the field.
Shortly after, Aragon took the lead after senior Juliana Stahr and sophomore Annie Martin extended the Lady Dons’ lead to 6-4 in the closing minutes of the game.
In the 20th minute, senior Jenna Constantino was fouled and fractured her wrist. After Constantino was taken the sidelines, Mercy Burlingame’s Shannon Grady scored, but that wasn’t enough to take the 7-6 victory from Aragon.
For the girls lacrosse team, the 2016 season has been defined by one word: improvement.
After finishing the first two seasons in Aragon girls lacrosse history without a single win, the Lady Dons closed off their most recent season with a 9-5 overall record.
Says coach Kalyn Olson, “The season is already a success … [the players] are capable of doing so much more than they thought they were capable of doing last year.”
Coming into the season, expectations were high, but not to the extent of potentially having a winning record, which the Lady Dons have quietly achieved.
Says sophomore Emma Clarke, “Going into the season, our goal was to improve and grow as a team. And also to win the first game in Aragon girls lacrosse history.”
The Lady Dons came into this season with a game plan that revolved around strategy and teamwork. This season in particular, Olson has taught her team to slow down the game and play strategic defense by keeping the ball out of the star players’ hands.
Says Olson, “This year, we’ve really pushed for playing a complete game of Dons lacrosse. Our team knows the way in which we need to play to be successful, which looks different than that of a lot of other teams.”
In their second-to-last game of the season, on May 6 against Notre Dame, the team scored 16 goals in their 16-7 win with 12 different players recording at least one goal.
On the other side of the ball, the Dons’ offense has revolved around sharing the ball and incorporating the maximum amount of players possible into the attack.
Says Martin, “A team goal of ours was [to execute the] ‘5-50-5’, [which means] five different people score a goal each game, [we need to have] 50-percent draw control, [and cause] five turnovers each game … We have definitely met our goals, which has shown.”
