“When I scored my first goal I felt excited and it pushed me to work even harder throughout the game,” said Erin Sentman, a freshman.

For the first game of the season, Padua lacrosse beat Conrad 20-4. Players were excited for the big win at the beginning of the season.

In total there were fifteen assists, and senior goalie Aimee Cathers made ten saves. Rachel Delate, a senior, and Ava Ruggieri, a junior, both scored three goals. Seniors Jordan Bramble, Kelsey Pogonyi, and Cecilia Krienen each scored two goals. Shannon McCormac, a junior, also scored two goals.

The team played against one of their old coaches, Coach Bill. It had been two years since he coached for the Padua team.

“It felt weird playing against his [Coach Bill’s] team,” said Cathers. “I could hear him yell from the sidelines when I was in goal and it was so different to hear him coaching again for the other team.”

The game consisted many firsts. Cathers had her first save of her high school career.

“It didn’t really settle in until after I cleared, but when it did it felt like such a relief that this position could work and I can help the team instead of dragging them down,” said Cathers.

Two players, McCormac and Sentman, scored the first goals of their high school careers.

“It did not feel really feel like my first goal because I have scored in practices and in scrimmages so when I was given the opportunity to shoot it was really like I was even thinking about it,” said McCormac.

At the end of the game, Coach Griffin, one of the assistant varsity coaches, shared a big cookie with the team to celebrate a great start of the season. The team felt really good about the win to start the season.

“I think we did a really good job as a team and it was a great game,” said McCormac. The team has a hopeful outlook to this season with the strong start.

“I hope that the team can work together throughout the rest of the season,” said Sentman, “and I hope we can make it to the playoffs or even further.”