Girls lacrosse (5-3) won 13-1 against Irvine High during their home league game on March 25. The Bulldogs’ next game will be away against Sage Hill on April 8.

Despite losing the first draw, goalie and junior Max Madenburg saved the Vaqueros’ first attempt to score—a play foreshadowing her stand-out performance throughout the game, according to assistant coach Samantha Ezratty. After winning the second draw and gaining possession of the ball, the Bulldogs’ strategic communication and strong opening performance by captain, midfielder and senior Olivia Ganes won them their first goal by midfielder and sophomore Aven Johnson. The Bulldogs closed the quarter 4-0.

“Max [Madenburg], our goalie, had an outstanding game,” Ezratty said. “Probably the best game I’ve seen by a goalie in three years of coaching lacrosse. It’s nice to have [an] extra level of safety back there. She’s that last line of defense and made great saves on breakaways and on eight meter free shots.”

The Bulldogs once again lost the draw that opened the second quarter. However, Madenburg successfully saved the Vaqueros’ goal for a third time. By halftime, the team scored three more goals from Ganes, Johnson and attacker and freshman Delanie Gee, with Madenburg saving five of the Vaqueros’ attempted goals. The first half concluded with a score of 7-0.

“Our strengths [during] this game were in our passing,” Gee said. “We were passing [the ball] up the field to attack and communicating with each other while passing, assisting and getting ready to shoot.”

The momentum continued into the second half, which opened with a draw control and a goal from captain, midfielder and senior Alyana Cabanilla. The Bulldogs fought for control of the ball after losing ground balls, a skill needing improvement during practice according to Ezratty. Despite the defense losing possession, Madenburg prevented the Vaqueros from scoring, saving all but one goal during the last quarter. The Bulldogs closed the game with a score of 13-1.

“As a team we played really well,” Madenburg said. “We usually [tie] against Irvine in the beginning, but this time was different because we started and ended strong. There wasn’t ever a tie.”

The Bulldogs will continue to focus on developing a spread-out offense to find meaningful opportunities to gain possession of the ball, according to Ezratty. With strong defense, consistent energy and calculated patience throughout the game, the team continues to showcase its growth from last year. 

“In the next couple games, the [team will be] at full strength,” Ezratty said. “We’ve had quite a few injuries, but those players are working back to finish out their senior season strong.”