 | | | The Don's Anna De Roque. Photos Gint Federas | | | | | | As the second half of the Diablo Athletic League girls' lacrosse season rolls along, all three Lamorinda programs are making bids to secure the top spot in the standings.
Miramonte commands the lead, sitting at perfect 10-0, while Campolindo is second at 10-1 and Acalanes occupies third place with a 9-2 mark (9-6 record overall).
"I think things are going awesome," said Dons head coach Courtney Neff. "I'm super proud of them. They are really starting to believe that they belong and can beat those top teams."
Acalanes' two league losses came against the Mats and Cougars on March 17 and 24, respectively. The former was an especially frustrating setback for the Dons.
"We had a heart-breaking loss against Miramonte - a one-goal difference - and we were ahead for most of the game," Neff said. "Campo was tough, but I think (we) really do believe that (we) can hang with those teams and beat them So, I still sense of unfinished business that we want to take care of."
The Dons' second go-around against Miramonte comes on April 25 in Orinda and round two against Campolindo arrives on May 2 in Moraga in the final matchup of the DAL season.
While Neff credited senior captains Julia Mueller and Anna De Roque for winning the respect of the entire roster and pointed to sophomores Marcy Morse and Claire Gallagher as the bosses of the midfield, the key for the Cougars has been the club's depth.
"Everyone brings something different to the table and it's awesome," Neff said. "We have so many different forms of talent."
For the second-place Cougars, the contributions have also been coming from players up and down the roster.
"The credit for our success thus far this season is attributable predominantly to the tremendous group of girls we have this year," head coach Dave Parker. "They've really bonded together as a team, they're unwaveringly unselfish - always willing to make the extra pass to an open player if they have a better shot."
Asked to highlight stars from this year's roster, Parker simply couldn't whittle down the list for a team whose only loss (13-1 overall) came against the Mats on March 14.
"I honestly believe that we have 10-11 girls that deserve all-league recognition at one level or another," Parker said. "We are really fortunate to have a lot of talent at each position."
At the beginning of the season, the Cougars set out to become the best team in program history as measured by setting season records for most total wins, most goals scored, fewest goals allowed, achieving the greatest post-season success, and earning the most victories over their chief rivals.
The next clash with one of those rivals comes against Miramonte on April 21 in Moraga.
"Friday's game against Miramonte is one that we're really looking forward to - it should be an epic battle between two pretty evenly-matched teams that could very possibly end up determining the league champion," Parker said.
Both the Cougars and the Mats are among the most respected setups in the state. MaxPreps ranks Campo as No. 29 in California and tabs Miramonte as the No. 38 squad.
"We cannot wait for this matchup," Mats' head coach Jackie Pelletier said of the upcoming dual. "Local rivalries like this get more than the team psyched to play. The school and community rally behind (us) as well. Games like this are a great test for us to see how far we've come this season."
For the title-hopeful Mats, a trio of seniors - Taylor Geary, Lucy Stenovec and Morgan Johnson - have shepherded a group that features 10 varsity newcomers.
"They have done a great job of paving the way for the younger players and it is a true testament to how well good leadership can translate into success," Pelletier said. "I think all of our players are learning that this leadership is important for growth not only on but off the field. They are three very talented ladies and have bright futures ahead of them."
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA