Ending with the same score as its last game, lacrosse lost to Pacific University on March 6 with a 4-19 score.

The Wildcats, after starting the season searching for members to fill quota and with a brand new coach, feel confident that their performance is improving, regardless of the duplicate score.

“We played as a team, even though the scoreboard wasn’t that pretty,” said sophomore captain Rebecca Kropp.

The team has five new members, including sophomore Kaleigh Phillips who stepped in to be goalie in her first lacrosse game after the regular goalie, freshman Erika Phillipo, received news that she wasn’t cleared to play due to injury just before the game was scheduled to start.

“I think the doctor thought he persuaded me not to play,” Phillipo said. “He told me I could choose to play or not, but he told the athletic trainer I wasn’t cleared to play. He didn’t realize that I was going to choose to play.”

Stepping up at the last minute, Phillips blocked seven of the 26 attempts to score made by Pacific University. Of the goals made by Pacific, 15 happened in the first half.

“We held them to four goals in the second half, which shows how good we can be if we play our best from the beginning of the game,” Kropp said.

“We got better the second half,” said sophomore Cirrena Troutt, a defender who was playing for the first time on March 6. “It took us some time to build up our momentum, but once we got into it we excelled.”

New coach Samantha Smith was impressed by the skill her team exhibited in the second half of the game.

“After the game she got a little emotional. She was really proud of us,” Troutt said.

Senior Brittani Drost scored three of the four Wildcat goals, with the other goal attributed to sophomore Shelby Duarte. Duarte also contributed two turnovers, as well as senior Lynette Cole and sophomore Haylee Helgerson who each had two turnovers during the game. Kropp brought four turnovers for the Wildcats.

“We have a saying on the team,” Troutt said. “’The scoreboard does not reflect how well we played on the field,” which I think sums this game up perfectly.”

New members sophomore Abigail Meckem, freshman Heidi Morisset, senior Nicole Thoens, Troutt and Phillips all played well, some playing their first ever game of lacrosse.

Lacrosse will play its next game against Smith College of Northhampton, Mass., at 1 p.m. March 17. The following day it will play Allegheny College from Meadville, Pa., and then will play North Central College from Naperville, Ill., March 19. All are home games and are out-of-region games. The Wildcats are now 0-2 for the season.

Olivia Marovich / Staff Writer