Gallery • 9 Photos

Ali Browne

SPARTANS ON THREE. After a post-game pep talk, the Spartans finish off with their cheer.

On Wednesday evening, the Spartans lacrosse team took on Visitation in a scrimmage to kick off the 2021-22 season. Though they ultimately fell 4-9, the team showed great promise for the rest of the spring.

While the first matchup of the season is always exciting, last night’s game was especially fun for the Spartans as they took on their former teammates. In previous seasons, St. Paul Academy and Visitation joined forces for a co-op team known as United. Since the partnership was dissolved last year and SPA combined with St. Agnes, this was the first time the two teams met in competition.

The Blazers started out with intensity and scored a goal within the first two minutes. After the Spartans got adjusted to the speed of play, captain Mia Hoffman tied the score in the fifth minute with a goal off of an 8-meter shot, her first of two. Sophomore Charlotte Goings scored the third goal at the beginning of the second half, and Eden Sitko from St. Agnes scored the fourth goal in the last two minutes.

Many of the Spartans players are new to lacrosse this season, but regardless of skill level, each player was pushing themselves and having fun on the field. Though she started in the position only three days ago, ninth-grader Lucy Thomas had an impressive performance in goal, with countless stops, earning her the coaches’ unofficial player of the game award.

“It was something new for a lot of the team and me, but I learned a lot in the scrimmage. Playing goalie was very different than my last lacrosse season, but I am excited to take on this skill,” Thomas said.

Throughout the whole game, the players and coaches cheered on the team and made sure everyone’s individual successes were celebrated.

“Already this early in the season, the team culture is really positive, which makes me and the other players who are trying the sport for the first time feel a lot more comfortable and willing to make mistakes in the process of getting better,” junior Lindsay Browne said.

Though the Spartans did not come out with a win, the excitement of playing on Lang Field for the first time and putting their hard work at practice and tryouts to the test started the season off on a high note. Their first official home game will be against St. Paul Central on Apr. 18th at 4:30 for Teacher Appreciation Night.