As the JV boys lacrosse team’s season begins, they suffered a 6-4 loss after a hard-fought battle against the Palo Alto Vikings on March 23.
After winning three scrimmages, losing the first game of the season was not the result they wanted. However, the team is pleased with their effort.
“It’s a loss, but we kept up with them for a while and that is something we can be proud of,” said Carlmont sophomore team captain Jacob Rybkin.
Although it is an upsetting way to begin the season, it is a form of motivation for the team. They are prepared to work even harder to beat the Vikings in their second game against them on April 25.
“It might come down to a slow practice, but I think after that we will recover. We have another game coming up against the Vikings, and I think everyone’s going to be pushing for that,” Rybkin said.
Despite the Vikings’ victory, the team could have performed better. They came into the game having a 2-1-1 record with their scrimmages.
“I think we did a lot worse than our average game. Our morale was pretty low today and honestly, we could have done a lot better,” said Palo Alto sophomore Gabe Boudtchenko. Our performance matters more than the score, and knowing that we played good makes it satisfying since we know we did the best we could. — Jacob Rybkin
At the end of the first half, the game was tied 2-2. During the third quarter, the Vikings got a lead of 5-3 after many penalties by the Scots. Defense, communication, and getting to know the Scots’ playing style allowed the Vikings to get ahead.
“We got a sense for how the other team was playing, and we adjusted how we played off of that. I play defense and could tell that how we were playing was much tighter than our typical defense,” Boudtchenko said.
Even though the sport is rather difficult to learn and play, that has not stopped new people from joining the team.
“It is kind of hard to pick up because it is really different from other sports,” said Carlmont freshman Robert Clevenger.
With the few scrimmages and one game they have had, there has been a major stride for improvement so far. The chemistry this year is much better than in previous years, which has been reflected in their performance on the field.
“Our team is looking a lot better, we have a lot more chemistry going. Now passes are actually being made which didn’t happen last season,” Rybkin said.
The team has created a healthy environment that has allowed them to improve, teach new players, and make strong connections.
“I feel like everyone is just always insanely nice. Everyone is always trying their best during practice and games. It’s just like a good place to be in and play in,” Clevenger said.
