On a warm spring evening under the watchful eye of a lone falcon perched atop a stadium light, the Acalanes girls lacrosse team battled their way to an impressive 18–15 win over College Park in a game packed with intensity, drama, and grit.

From the opening whistle, the tone was set. College Park struck first, but Acalanes wasted no time finding their rhythm. Emily Roberts opened the scoring for the Dons, converting an assist from Meghan Churchill. The duo quickly repeated the feat just minutes later, and by the end of the first quarter, Grace Colaco had added to the tally with a goal off a feed from Kate Beaver.

With their offense clicking, Acalanes came out firing in the second quarter. Churchill assisted Charlotte Gellman for a goal then scored two of her own in quick succession. Colaco set up Roberts for her third goal of the night. The Dons’ offense continued to surge with goals from Churchill, Reese Imrie, and another from Churchill, who skillfully navigated around the crease. Even when the Falcons had possession, the Dons didn’t back down—Taylor Mikalis read a play perfectly, stepping in to intercept a pass and quickly turning defense into offense, setting up Imrie for her second goal of the night. 

As the first half closed, College Park threatened to close the gap, but Acalanes goalie Sarah Hession delivered one of her five clutch saves, stifling the Falcons’ momentum and allowing the Dons to strike twice more. Colaco found the net and then set up Christina Hageboeck for another goal just before halftime.

Despite a physical and often contentious second half — which included several yellow cards and a red card ejection of the College Park coach — the Dons maintained their focus and composure. Churchill and Roberts linked up yet again for two more goals. Helping the Dons get possession, Claire Zimmerman and Mikalis anchored the effort, coming up with crucial ground balls and turning defensive stands into offensive opportunities. Liu then contributed an assist to Roberts, who finished with six goals on the night. Colaco added another assist, finding Liu for a slick twizzler goal that thrilled the crowd. Churchill capped the night with her fifth goal, driving around the crease to put the game out of reach.

Final score: Acalanes 18, College Park 15 — a hard-fought, well-earned road win that showcased the Dons’ depth, determination, and teamwork.

Next up, the Dons return home to face Northgate on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Let’s Go Dons!