This season marks the last for the 11 graduating seniors of the GA girls lacrosse program. Looking back on a season, GA athletics waves goodbye to the players who set the tone on and off the field.
Of those 11, six competitive players will head to the world of D1 college lacrosse. Hours of hard work on the Oberkircher turf pay off as signing day passes for seniors Maggie Morrisey ‘24, Cate Luviano ‘24, Emma Goodwin ‘24, Lucia Smigel ‘24, Gigi Ippoldo ‘24 and Maggie Borek ‘24.
“I love seeing how passionate they are about lacrosse and how they carry that into every day of practice and every game that we play,” head coach Ms. Diana Shumar said. “Just seeing how well they play together and knowing that they’re going to take that somewhere else is really awesome.”
The team currently stands with a 5-8 record. Season highlights include overcoming season injuries to pull out victories such as winning after a half-time deficit to Notre Dame or forcing overtime against Lawrenceville to win by one.
As the seniors move into their college careers, their significant role on the team has become increasingly apparent. Many of the younger players rely on the seniors to hold them accountable on and off the field and look up to their dedication and drive.
“This year at GA, it was really important for me to stay positive and to work hard through our losses,” captain Gigi Ippoldo ‘24 said. “I tried to be really welcoming to underclassmen and always include everyone.”
Many younger players have shared their disappointment that this season with the seniors has come to an end.
“We have a huge senior class this year – eleven amazing seniors – and it’s going to be very tough next year without them because they’re going to leave a big hole,” goalie Sadie Hess ’25 said. “I’m excited for new opportunities with the rest of the underclassmen and to get to know them better, but our seniors have been a rock for us and we’re all going to miss them.”
Throughout the season, Coach Shumar has created a strong bond with the senior players and is sad to see them leave.
“I think those players are really irreplaceable. Just the people they are and the personalities and fun they have every day,” Ms. Shumar said. “It’s definitely not something we’re going to be able to replace.”
However, Coach Diana Shumar hopes to see a bright future for the girls lacrosse program as the underclassmen move into the spotlight.
“The next few years will definitely be big building years for us, and not necessarily starting over with building trust or with building a team up, but just getting younger players comfortable with being leaders on the field,” Ms. Shumar said. “Somebody has to step up and be that player, even if they are a freshman or a sophomore.”
The team will continue to implement the seniors’ teachings and values as they work towards their goal of an Interac-winning 2025 season.