Bringing in new strategies and positive mindsets for the last game of the season, the JV girls lacrosse team took on the Westlake Chaps on Thursday, April 16. Despite giving their all, the Warriors ultimately met defeat against the Chaps, 7-1.

After an energetic team huddle, the Warriors kicked off the game by immediately taking the ball and striding towards the goal. However, the Chaps’s aggressive plays kept Westwood from scoring and were able to make the first goal early into the quarter. Although Westwood was able to keep the ball on their side of the field, Westlake crushed Warrior defense and took possession back. Despite the Warriors’s strong communication, the Chaps’s powerful offense was able to break through, ending the first quarter 2-0.

“We knew [going into the game] that Westlake is a very difficult team to play, so it can be really hard to play with people so aggressive,” Lucy McWilliams ‘28 said. “You just have to learn how to not let them get in your face. The strategy has to be different in order to adapt to [Westlake’s plays].”

Following a rough first quarter, the Lady Warriors still kept their positivity high throughout the second quarter. Bonnie Rose Hance ‘29 took the draw, facilitating slick passes between Lena Simons ‘28 and Lucy May Ellen ‘29. Despite their recovery in the midfield, Westwood was unable to convert their shots, further burying them in Westlake’s lead. Consequently, the Warriors’s blunder led to Westlake taking the opportunity to sneak in and make another goal, leaving the second quarter 3-0.

“It was hard to keep our confidence since we kept missing shots and Westlake kept stealing the ball,” Ellen said. “At that point I was a bit worried about the game’s outcome, but I knew that [Westlake] was a tough team so it would be challenging throughout the whole match.”

Going into the third quarter, the Chaps were able to take the draw and weave through Westwood defense. The Warriors’s lack of aggressive plays allowed Westlake to make another goal and widen the lead. Westlake’s fierce attacks crushed Westwood’s defense, leading to yet another goal and ending the quarter in an ongoing shutout 5-0. 

“It was really hard to get past [Westlake’s] defense and score,” Ayman Halai ‘27 said. “Even when we had good runs towards our goal, they were able to get the ball back. Because it was Senior Night, we still tried to keep a positive attitude and stay in the game mentally.”

Westlake’s momentum continued to build in the fourth quarter, but the Lady Warriors were committed to breaking through and scoring. A swift run from Halai paved the way for Westwood’s first goal of the night, amplifying their energy. However, this determination wasn’t enough to catch up to the Chaps, allowing them to score yet again and solidify their victory 7-1. 

“Even though we lost the game, [this season] was a really positive [experience] looking back on how much everyone grew as a team and individually,” McWilliams said. “We had a lot of new players and the majority of JV was new. We all work well together while having fun and always put in our best effort, and our coaches are also great. Learning new people and how to help them has been really fun.”