The Palo Alto High School girls’ lacrosse team (8-0, 4-0) remains undefeated after slipping past Los Gatos High School, 12-11, on Friday, in what proved to be one of the Vikings’ toughest games of the season.
Paly countered the speedy Wildcats with relentless defense, consistently fighting for ground balls and forcing turnovers. Paly prepared all week for an intense game, according to senior defender Natalie Gauthier.
“We got ready to run and play very aggressive lacrosse,” Gauthier said. “Los Gatos has a very fast and intense team. We all knew this would be one of the toughest games of the season.”
The Vikings fell behind early after Los Gatos scored first, but senior attacker Brianna Boyd put Paly on the board with a goal five minutes into the game, giving the Vikings some momentum.
Sophomore midfielder Kimmie Flather scored with a brilliant assist from senior attacker Sam Herzog, who flipped the ball over the back of the goal to Flather. Junior attacker Emily Benatar then scored on a penalty shot, tossing a grounder past the goalie and into the net to make the score 3-1.
Despite a solid defensive effort by the Vikings and several blocked shots by junior goalie Lara Cutkosky, the Wildcats were able to score twice after regaining the ball following unsuccessful Los Gatos shots. After nearly four minutes in which Paly claimed sole possession of the ball, Los Gatos managed to score twice within the next minute.
Adding to the Vikings’ frustration, the Wildcats ran down the field 30 seconds later to score before the Paly defense could gather itself, making the score 6-3, Los Gatos.
Facing a three-goal deficit at the half, the Vikings tried to recuperate despite a low level of confidence, according to Gauthier.
“Coming off the field at the half, every one of us was on the verge of tears,” Gauthier said. “We were so frustrated with our playing and the whole game. [Head coach] Jen [Gray] reminded us just how important the little things are, how each move you make on the field can change the outcome of the game. She reminded us that we can do it, [that] we are good enough [and that] we just need to want it more.”
Gray said that the Vikings were too focused on winning the game, and that she had to remind them why they were playing.
“When you start out a season like we started–with the big win–it’s hard to not put way more pressure than normal on every game,” Gray said. “When things start going not the way you want them to, it becomes very stressful. I had to kind of bring them back to the fact that they love this game and to have fun with it.”
A reinvigorated Paly team took Gray’s pep talk to heart and started the second half strong, putting up nine goals while allowing only five from Los Gatos. Four minutes into the half, Flather launched the ball into the net off of a pass by Fowler, scoring her second goal of the evening.
After a goal by the Wildcats, sophomore midfielder Emy Kelty intercepted the ball at the midline, running down the field through the Los Gatos defense to score. Minutes later, junior defenseman Gracie Cain scored to shrink the gap to 6-7, Los Gatos. Cain proved to be a major asset to the team, picking up five ground balls and causing three turnovers.
Los Gatos then scored on a penalty shot, but freshman attacker Charlotte Biffar brought the Vikings back into the game when she ran between two Los Gatos defenders and tossed the ball into the net. After a series of passes around the Wildcats’ goal, senior midfielder Lauren Mah, who also played a great defensive game by picking up four ground balls, scored to tie the game at 8-8. Boyd then scored to give Paly its first lead since the first half.
Flather, who was fouled on the Los Gatos side, scored from a distance with a goal in the left side of the net. After a foul by the Vikings, the Wildcats scored to bring the total to 10-9, Paly.
Freshman attacker Nina Kelty scored off of a swift pass by Flather, but Los Gatos countered with two goals, tying the score at 11-11 and increasing the tension on both sides.
With less than two minutes remaining, Flather sprinted down the field with the ball, breaking through the Wildcats’ defense to score the final goal of the night. Los Gatos was determined to continue fighting, but the Vikings’ strong defense and exceptional goaltending enabled Paly to hang on for the 12-11 win.
Senior midfielder Emily Fowler attributed the win to the Vikings’ focus and intensity.
“When our team focuses and connects, our transition is very hard to defend,” Fowler said. “We went harder for each 50-50 ball and tried to posses the ball longer than [Los] Gatos.”
Gray said the team matured throughout the game and credited the win to its resilience.
“What they did really well was they just kept fighting,” Gray said. “They never gave up and they got better as the half went on and as the game went on. Not everything is going to go perfectly every game, and you have be able to get yourselves mentally out of the funk and just keep playing. And that’s what they did…we got a little more mature today.”
The Vikings will play their next game against Menlo High School at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, at Menlo.