The boys lacrosse team (3-1) was defeated by Mountain View (2-0) 16-12 on March 8. Despite a late comeback attempt, the Dons were unable to come back after trailing by seven goals at halftime.
“We took too long to get our game out,” said sophmore Charlie Austin. “We were able to come through in the second half but by then [Mountain View] already had a big lead on us, and that first half is what really lost us this game”
During the first half, the Dons struggled on defense. The Dons committed three fouls which led to six goals by Mountain View in the first quarter.
“We had a couple non-releasables in the first half,” said head coach Sean Robinson. “That really got us down a lot—We found ourselves in a hole.”
Another problem the Dons faced was communication, with six turnovers the first half.
“[Conference games play] at a faster speed, and it took time for us to adjust to that,” Robinson said. “That’s what happens — we didn’t pass, we didn’t catch. But once we got used to the pace of the game, we started playing our game”
While the score at halftime was 11-4, throughout the rest of the game Aragon was able to narrow the Spartans’ lead. Improved communication allowed Austin to score seven goals in the second half.
“The goal isn’t really about who shoots and makes the point,” Austin said. “I was able to get where they weren’t and my teammates gave me the ball so I could shoot and score.”
In addition to communication, the second half saw an improvement in the Dons’ defense, as the Dons forced three turnovers.
“We recognized our weakness, and we recognized their weakness as well,” said sophomore goalkeeper Dylan Graf. “We managed to spread ourselves out to keep the opposing team from getting near our goal.”
Although the improvements of the second half propelled Aragon to score seven additional goals, the Dons ultimately were unable to come back from their struggles of the first half, losing for the first time this season.
As a relatively new team, the Dons have seen many changes over the last five years.
“When [the program] started, it was about getting a lot of people out here and playing lacrosse,” Robinson said. “[In] the past couple years here, we’ve gone from winning seasons to going to playoffs, going to championships.”
The Dons have found a unique way to improve communication with a tradition before home games: pasta dinners.
“We meet up at the house and just eat,” said senior Zach Bonilla. “We get a different kind of chemistry off the field.”
This tradition has persisted since the beginning of the lacrosse program and has served as more than just a meal.
“I think it’s just another event for us to bond and get to know each other,” said senior Josh Mayers. “I think communication comes from chemistry, and chemistry comes from knowing who you’re playing with and knowing who’s on the field with you.”
Up next, the Dons will take on Burlingame (2-2) on March 13
