After reaching the CIF Finals last year, the boys’ lacrosse team struggled to match last season’s success, starting the season with an overall record of 3-3 as they prepare to start league play.
“Considering all of the circumstances, I would say our season has been pretty mediocre so far,” junior midfielder Gideon Hyman ’20 said. “We’ve been playing well, but we definitely haven’t been playing to the best of our abilities.”
The Wolverines kicked off the season with a win over Thousand Oaks High School, defeating the Lancers 8-2 in their first match Feb. 27.
“It felt really good to beat [Thousand Oaks] in our first game back,” Hyman said. “We stepped up as a team and played well on both offense and defense.”
The squad then hosted Oaks Christian High School on March 1 in their home opener at Ted Slavin Field. The Wolverines struggled to find success early against the Lions’ defense, finishing the third quarter down 7-3. The team then responded with four goals in the fourth quarter, but it still did not defeat the Lions, as they fell 8-7 on their home turf.
Just four days later, the Wolverines were tasked with another challenge as they travelled to Palos Verdes High School to face the Sea Kings on March 5. Once again, the squad fell short, losing by just one goal and sending them to a 1-2 overall record.
“It is frustrating to lose by just one goal multiple times,” Hyman said. “We need to do a better job of establishing a lead early so we won’t find ourselves in these situations.”
After two losses, the Wolverines looked to bounce back with a strong effort against Santa Margarita High School.
This time, the squad finished on the right side of one-point victories, defeating the Eagles 13-12 in a March 8 matchup under the lights at Ted Slavin Field.
The squad then fell 11-5 to St. Margaret’s Episcopal School March 15. They bounced back with a 10-9 victory against Agoura High School on March 20, bringing their overall record to 3-3.
“We started out slow today and went down early,” senior midfielder Harrison Listen ’19 said. “We brought ourselves out of the hole, and I am proud that we found a way to win.”
The Wolverines will begin league play March 20 against Loyola High School.
