In their season opener at James Hayner Field on Feb. 27, Whitman lacrosse overpowered the Whitworth Pirates in a dominant offensive showing. En route to a 14-9 victory, the Blues took twice the number of shots as the Pirates, including 17 shots on goal to the Pirates’ 12. Whitman also won the majority of draw controls during the match, 18-7.
Against Whitworth’s solid defense, Whitman’s aggressive play didn’t fully break through until the third quarter, which turned a 6-5 halftime lead into a 12-6 one by the end of the period. The six-point outburst was enough to put the game away and make a late fourth quarter push by Whitworth’s offense insignificant.
Control of possession keyed the Blues’ offensive success. Senior midfielder Teagan Huff mentioned Whitman’s recent history against Whitworth and highlighted the Blues’ draw-focused strategy coming into the match.
“In the past, Whitworth has had a really strong draw, and our draw team was basically brand new today,” Huff said.
This was a new point of direction for the Blues, but as junior defender Andy Garcia explained, it was intentionally tailored to their opponent.
“They have a very strong defense overall,” Garcia said. “We talked about how a lot of this game was going to be controlled through the midfield possession and whether or not the transition goes well.”
In the end, the draw strategy paid off. Whitman won 18 out of the game’s 25 total draw controls, which generated pressure that Whitworth’s defense was ultimately unable to withstand.
When the Pirates’ defensive dam broke, the Blues took advantage across the roster in a formidable display of talent and depth. First-years Molly Labhart (midfielder) and Serafin Miller (midfielder/attacker) scored two goals each in their Whitman debuts, and the Blues’ returners were just as excellent, turning in several notable performances. Five other players scored for Whitman, including sophomore attackers Ellie Milesi and Sarah Hawkins, senior midfielder Teagan Huff, senior attacker Sky Pasena-Littlesky and sophomore attacker/midfielder Lola McConaghy, who scored a team-high four goals. Combined with crucial assists from Hawkins and timely saves by junior goalie Renn Novak, the Blues showed few, if any, weak links.
Given the flashy performance, it’s easy to forget that games are only a small fraction of the work a team puts into their season. What spectators don’t see—the community building and training—is just as instrumental in competitive success.
Sophomore Nell Harvey shared the team’s focused mindset during the semester and how their dedication translates into game-day results.
“In season, we’re all constantly thinking about lacrosse, thinking about being with each other, working hard and trying to do our best,” Harvey said.
Garcia emphasized each player’s investment in the well-being of the team as a crucial factor in Whitman’s success.
“Even in the hours that we’re in the locker room getting ready, having our pre-game talks, going through our scouting list, it’s a lot of energy that needs to be harnessed,” Garcia said. “The reason why this team works so well is because everyone wants to be here, wants to show up and wants to lift each other up.”
However, each year’s roster is unique, whether in its composition or personality.
For Novak, the season opener is an opportunity to gauge the team’s energy level and consider how to best direct it moving forward.
“The first game out of the gate is always a fun one,” Novak said. “Each year, the team brings a new energy, and we have to figure out how to harness that and support each other.”
Huff believes that this team is off to a similar start as last season, when the Blues posted a 13-5 overall record and a 7-1 conference record and made it to the postseason before being eliminated in the second round of the Northwest Conference tournament by George Fox University.
The first impressions from Whitman’s season opener are in line with Huff’s outlook. For the Blues, however, this is just the beginning of a much longer quest. The team aims not only to build off the past three years of consistently successful seasons with winning records and postseason appearances, but also to take down George Fox, which has held control of the top spot in the NWC for the past decade. How this season will pan out remains to be seen, but the Blues’ performance against Whitworth showed a team that looks ready to take on the best of the best in the NWC.
