On March 7, 2024, Berkeley High School (BHS) girls varsity lacrosse faced off against Dublin High School. This was the first time the team had played against Dublin in three seasons, so coach Jess Seggman was unsure of what to expect. “We did just come off of a win on Tuesday, (March 5) against Grenada, so I know the girls are feeling great and we have momentum,” Seggman said, prior to the match.
The game started off with Dublin gaining possession of the ball and getting shots off, but new goalie and junior Maddie Walsh was able to make good saves. This was the first time this year’s team implemented a zone defensive strategy. Co-captain and senior Sienna Prak-Perry said, “We tried our best to call it, and I loved the effort but I think we’ll execute (zone defense) a lot better next game.” The quarter ended with a Dublin player scoring, bringing the game to 1-0.
Immediately following the first draw of the second quarter, BHS midfielder Maya Miles-Wang scored after a quick run down the field. Following this, the other co-captain and senior Lane Imen scored for Berkeley once again. However, Dublin scored shortly after, bringing the score to 2-2. Throughout the second quarter, senior Christina Keung, Prak-Perry, senior Sade Devine, and junior Kate Imen all scored once. Dublin also scored twice, ending the first half of the game 6-4 with Berkeley in the lead.
Keung, a midfielder, was happy with how the game had been going at this point. “I think our defense and driving went well, the re-defending could have been stronger,” she said. “We were playing off of each other well and working as a team,” Keung explained.
In the third quarter, Lane Imen scored, but Dublin bounced back, scoring four straight goals throughout the quarter and fending off Berkeley from putting in any shots.
The home team recalibrated from being one point down in the final quarter, with Lane Imen scoring two back-to-back shots. Berkeley’s defense kept any Dublin players from scoring, and Keung and Prak-Perry both scored again as well, ending the game with an 11-8 win for the Jackets.
Kate Imen scored her first goal of the season and was content with her overall performance saying, “I felt like I was able to get ground balls and be an option for others and just aiding my teammates.” She has high hopes for the team’s improvement over the course of the season. “I want to work cohesively as a team …We’re going to try to bring out all of our strengths and tweak those weaknesses,” she said.
