The Wilfrid Laurier Women’s Lacrosse team entered the season with a fierce focus, pulsing passion and a drive to succeed that led them toward opening the season with four consecutive wins.
With a four game win streak under their belt, the Golden Hawk women prove that they have the skills and abilities to propel them forward as they continue to face skilled opponents throughout the season.
Head coach, Erica Shortt, had a lot to share about this year’s rosters of players and the strength of the team that contributed toward those wins.
“We have some very talented players as well as leaders on the team this year. We are very lucky to have such a skilled team, where all players on the field have the ability to contribute equally and everyone has the drive to succeed,” Shortt said.
Unfortunately, this past weekend the Golden Hawks’ four-game streak came to a close as they faced Queen’s University, Trent University and Ontario Tech University on Saturday and Sunday at Alumni Field and University Stadium.
“Our team worked hard for the duration of each game this weekend. The girls also supported each other on the field, whether we were winning or losing. There are always things we would like to see improved upon, but we just have to refocus this week and get back to playing our game, that includes solid communication and movement on defence, and maintaining possession of the ball,” Shortt said regarding the loses this weekend.
Emily Ferguson, team captain, had plenty to say about her passionate and talented teammates and what they did well together on the field despite the three losses.
“This weekend taught us a lot about our team. On the field we were able to transition the ball and utilize fast breaks on offence to get points on the board while defensively we were able to make huge stops to try and swing the momentum,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson also shared what she taught is a strength of the team that contributed toward their four-game streak.
“I would say the strengths of this year’s team include our deep bench, our cohesion, and our bench staff and trainers. We are very fortunate to have such a large roster of incredibly talented players who work well together both on and off the field and who are supported by a dedicated coaching staff and trainers to help us perform our best both physically and mentally,”Ferguson said.
This women’s lacrosse team is filled with hardworking and dedicated athletes who are passionate about the game, driven to prepare and practice, but not without having a little fun.
“They are always able to make me laugh and put a smile on my face reminding me that even though we are at an extremely high level of competition for women’s lacrosse, our ability to have fun as a team on the field is one of the most important things at the end of the day and a key contributor to our success,” said Ferguson.
The women’s lacrosse team is in a unique position to bounce back this upcoming weekend as they prepare to take on two teams with strong offenses and defences.
Coach Shortt expressed how they will be preparing this week for their upcoming games, “this week is just like any other this season. We will be working on perfecting the little things, practicing our skills and drills in high pressure situations, and working on each player’s role in shutting down skilled opponents.”
Although the women’s lacrosse team ended their four-game win streak, they undoubtedly carry the skills, support and cohesion to add more wins to their already successful season.