Girls Lax Team Is League Champions After 5-Game Winning Streak

The Scarsdale Girl's Lacrosse team could not have picked a better time to peak. Starting the season with a string of tough losses, no one could have guessed that the Raiders would emerge League Champions, continuing a 5 game winning streak. The turning point came after something clicked after a 15-16 loss against John Jay Cross River on April 24th. Since this loss, Scarsdale has earned close victories against White Plains, Ursuline, Rye, Yorktown, a powerhouse lacrosse program, and Mamaroneck, securing the league victory. Junior Lily Steckel, a pivotal member of the offensive line, attributes the recent success to a change in energy on and off the field. "After that loss to John Jay, we knew we needed to change something. The captains got us together and we all talked about what we could do better to change the team dynamic. We weren't ready to give up on the season yet." Steckel also noted how each win has helped the team's camaraderie and motivation. "After each win, the energy keeps getting better and better. Every day, every practice, every game, we are all ready to give it our all".

The Raiders were confident facing rival Mamaroneck for the second time this season. They had just dominated Ursuline 17-4 two days before. In their first meeting, Scarsdale had lost to Mamaroneck 15-9. With their newfound confidence, the Raiders went into the game looking to win the league. Since Mamaroneck had lost to Ursuline previously this season, a win over Mamaroneck would secure the title for the Raiders. Scarsdale had a slow start to the game, going into the second half down by 2 goals. The team's play in the second half of the game proved they were the better team on the field. With an impressive distribution of goals, Seniors Jilly Mehlman and Erin Nicholas netted 3 each, Junior Lily Steckel scored 2, and Sophomores Lizey Mehlman and Chessy Greenwald each had a goal. Greenwald's goal came at a pivotal moment in the second half, when the Raiders led by 1 goal with 2 minutes to go. This goal put Scarsdale up by 2. Seconds later, Mamaroneck scored a goal to bring the game back within 1. The Raiders won the game by a 1 goal margin, the final score being 9-10. Erin Nicholas led the team in ground balls, with an impressive 8. Goalie Angie Burns commented on the importance of this win. "It was huge for us, because Mamo is our biggest rival. Going into the game, we knew we could win, we just needed to perform."

Another crucial win came this Monday, May 9th when the Raiders dominated Yorktown. As Yorktown is one of the most respected lacrosse programs in the Hudson Valley, Scarsdale went into the game as underdogs. This Raider victory over the Huskers was the first time in program history that Scarsdale has beat Yorktown. Burns reiterated the magnitude of this win for the girls. "We are the first Scarsdale team to ever beat Yorktown in Girl's Lacrosse. This is huge for us. We really did shock the section." This surprising victory is a testament to the Raider's potential for the rest of the season. Sophomore Chessy Greenwald, who netted another crucial goal, noted, "we wanted this win. I can't describe how great it feels to finally be clicking as a team." Sophomore Lizey Mehlman had 4 goals in the game, Greenwald netted two, and Sophomore Emma Schwartz scored a goal, showing the depth of the offensive starting lineup. Goalie Angie Burns had 15 saves.

Looking forward to the rest of the season, the Raiders are hoping to capitalize on their momentum. Scarsdale will play at Somers for their final game of the regular season on Saturday, May 13th at 11:00 am.

Photos by Jon Thaler.