Girls’ lacrosse defeated rival Miramonte with a close score of 16-15, increasing the team’s winning streak to 6 games. This was the first time the team has defeated the Mats since 2013. The game was held at home on March 20.
According to head coach Jessica Hoffschneider, the victory against their rival school took special preparation. “This week in practice, we worked a lot on our midfield transition, because we knew that was what was going to help us win the game,” she said.
Sophomore player Claire Cimino added, “We worked really hard during practice to get ready for all the rivals, like Acalanes and Miramonte. It really paid off during the game.”
The Cougars battled neck-and-neck with Miramonte throughout the contest. According to Cimino, the score”just kept going back and forth, between winning and tying.”
According to Hoffschneider, the competition didn’t seem as fierce as it has been during previous years. “They [Miramonte] don’t seem as stong as they were last year. But I don’t know if we just look stronger than we did last year.”
Hoffschneider said that teamwork has been the most essential element for her squad. “What’s great is this team doesn’t have one superstar who scores the majority of our goals,” she said. “Every game we’ve played this year, there’s been at least 6 people or more scoring goals.”
“Every game there is someone who wins a game ball,” Hoffschneider said. “We write on the little ball that goes into this jar and then the person who wins the game ball, who, tonight, was Sophie Hubbell, gets to pick what we kicked butt at as a team [sic]. She chose that we played together well as a team.”
Hoffschneider said that her team’s biggest challenge this season will be Acalanes. “I think Acalanes has always been dominant in the league and they’re going to be dominant this year,” she said. Cimino agreed that the powerhouse of the league was “probably Acalanes.”
Acalanes is currently 3-0 in the Diablo Foothill Athletic League [DFAL] standings, while Campolindo is 4-0.
According to Hoffschneider, the players surpassed her expectations. “I didn’t expect to win,” she said. “But they stepped up like I have never seen them step up before. They played like I’ve never seen them play before. They just completely shocked me and impressed me and made me proud.”
Hoffschneider said that the team has high hopes for the season. “If they keep working as hard as they’re working, if they keep challenging each other in practice like they’ve started these last few weeks, I think that we definitely have a chance to compete with Acalanes and do really well in the league.”
The team’s next matchup is against Dougherty Valley on March 27.
