It was a chilly evening when the JV Ladies Lacrosse team traveled to Pleasanton to take on the always formidable Amador Dons. It was the teams first game this season. This is a very new and young Acalanes Team. The Lady Dons were starting an almost entirely new lineup while also missing two of their top players and Captains. However, their results were the same, another victory for Acalanes JV Girls. That makes 10 in a row and a total record of 35 wins and 1 loss dating back to 2024. This young team has three things that cannot be coached heart, hustle and an overriding determination to win. There really was not stopping these young ladies on Friday.
The Don’s actually lost the first five draws but the midfield of Elouise Greeson, Chloe Vignoles and Dora Henley managed to steal the ball and set up players like Stella Degroot for a beautiful creese roll, Savana “Savy” Martinez for a fake head goal and Talia Tichnor for a beautiful drive and shoot goal. The game started out with the Dons leading 7 to 1 and they never looked back from there cruising to an 13 to 2 lead half time lead and inevitably winning 18-3.
Between midfielders including Lucy Hamilton, Tatum Walsh and Claire Hawkins, all of the Attacker’s offense and re-defense including Yali Avrahimi, Genevieve Tenorio, and newcomers Estee Romick and Elouise “Louie” Kubas, the Amador Dons could never get the ball out of the Acalanes side of the field. They only managed four shots with three of them coming on penalty shots with Goalie Persephone Quine stopping almost every shot.
When tested the defense was an iron wall. The entire starting defense was new starters this year. Led by Bea Deignan, Avila Payne, Alexa Wall, Livvy Lewis, Penny Haslam and Delphine Fisher and newcomers Riley Zirkle, Brooke Lewis, Hadley Hastings and Sydney Piacente, they stopped Amador every time they tried to make a run. The Defense would not be denied.
In a team game like lacrosse everyone contributes, or you lose. It is very simply the ultimate team game with 12 players working together at all times. However, a couple of individual efforts must be pointed out. Freshman Lucy Hamilton playing in her first game as a Don was everywhere all the time. She scored several goals, assisted on others and completely controlled the midfield. At one point she ran through seven Amador players. It was beautiful! Also, I would be remiss if I did not mention the incredible defense and ball movement of Bea Deignan. She is the ultimate all-around player and her effort is unmatched!
For the entire 48 minute game this athletic and scrappy Acalanes JV Girls Lacrosse team, outran, out hustled and out lacrossed Amador Amador had no answer for these young and hustling Dons. The effort on the field was a wonderful sight to see from every player that entered the game.