LYNNFIELD — Simply put, losing 16-1 on your home turf is never a plus – aka, what happened to the Lynnfield girls lacrosse team against Ipswich Saturday morning.
Ipswich ripped seven goals in less than seven minutes – all close to the net, all hard shots, and, frankly, all before you could really settle in.
“I know we could have played a lot better. We got a little shook today,” Lynnfield coach Christina Serra said. “We made a lot of mistakes just by being nervous.”
And the Ipswich defense was just as strong. Like fighting against a long jab in boxing, Lynnfield entered its offensive zone from time to time, but failed to establish possession because of tight perimeter defense.
“Their defense was very good – they were on us,” Serra said. “They’re a very tough team.”
Chloe Considine scored Lynnfield’s lone goal, scooping up the ball and – in one motion – sniping one upstairs with 7:01 remaining in the first half. But from there, there were no more celebrations.
“We have a strong team,” Serra said. “Sometimes, we just don’t play the way we should play.’
All that said, where good teams – and good coaches – go from there, is up to them. Lynnfield coach Christina Serra walked off with her head held high, and her girls followed.
“It’s only one game [and] we have a lot of games left,” Serra said. “The girls are very positive… We just try to set smaller goals to accomplish and, from there, try to stay positive.”
And how does one do that? They set goals. Serra wants her girls to learn, play harder than last season, welcome in newer players, and, of course, work as a team.
“Every year, we just try to get better and better,” Serra said. “As long as everyone stays happy… it’s a positive experience.”
It’s also a positive experience when you have talented players. When asked which players she’s been impressed with, Serra couldn’t narrow it down to just one or two.
“I feel like everyone brings a different asset to the team,” Serra said. “I could name assets for each player.”
Despite Taylor Valiton finishing without a goal Saturday, Serra applauds her skill. Oh, and let’s not forget when the sophomore scored eight goals against Wakefield earlier this season.
“She’s great at scoring [and] great at those catches that just can’t be caught,” Serra said.
From describing Charlotte Radulski as a “powerhouse” to saying Hannah Gromko “fights really hard,” Serra said she’s excited to see what her players accomplish over the next month or two.
“Everyone’s having a great season [and] it feels like a family to us,” Serra said. “It’s a work in progress.”
You know expectations are high if that’s the case – Lynnfield’s record still stands at 6-3, and the Pioneers have already scored 86 goals through nine games.
Starting Wednesday against North Reading at Pioneer Stadium (4 p.m.), Serra looks for her group to move in a “family-oriented” direction.
“We want to have a good experience all around. We want to have a good, positive team,” Serra said. “The girls are having a good time.”
