The Hand girls’ lacrosse team has seen its fair share of ups and downs this year, but more than anything, the Tigers feel happy to be once again be playing the game that they love.

Hand has a record of 5-8 on the season with its most recent win coming in the form of a 13-5 victory versus Branford last week. Head Coach Lindsey Carroll wasn’t quite sure what to expect this spring after the Tigers missed out on a full season of lacrosse last year. Overall, though, Carroll is pleased with how her team is performing in the 2021 campaign.

“We have dedicated a lot of time and effort into winter clinics and conditioning, and there is no question that there is a great deal of talent amongst them,” said Carroll. “We are up against a highly competitive schedule for the rest of the season ahead, and I anticipate our biggest challenges will be developing chemistry on the field after a season lost.”

The Tigers are being led on the field by senior captains Hadley Houghton and Ashley Wargo this season. Hand’s senior class also includes Erin Patla, Shealyn Docker, Mia Rice, Grace Goddard, and Delanie Rourke.

On the scoresheet, junior attacker Kacie Wines has been the team’s top producer with 53 goals to her credit. Other players who are making significant contributions for the Tigers include junior midfielders Reilly Dolan and Karleigh Kokoruda, along with sophomore midfielder Lydia Doraz.

“Hadley and Ashley are our captains, while Kacie has led the attack for us with 53 goals already this season,” Coach Carroll said. “In the midfield, Lydia is a huge possession girl, and she is insanely fast. Reilly is fantastic in transition, and Karleigh has developed into a solid player for us.”

Hand’s junior class additionally includes defender Peytyn Gies and attacker Riley Kilbourn. The other sophomores on the squad are attacker Shawn Staak, along with defenders Anna Flanagan, Olivia Catala, and Coco Rourke.

Most of the players on Hand’s roster came into the season with minimal varsity experience. Consequently, the Tigers are learning on the fly as they play their way through the campaign.

“A majority of our team has little to no experience on the varsity level when it comes to pace of play. I expect some highs and lows throughout the season,” said Carroll. “However, this is an exceptionally bright and motivated group of young women that I anticipate will grow substantially as we continue on throughout the season.”

Coach Carroll felt that the first few games of the year were eye-opening in that they showed the Tigers what they needed to work on, in addition to what they were doing well. Carroll said that the effort was there all along and that her club has been focusing on some of the most pivotal aspects of the sport this spring.

“There’s no question that the girls have played hard,” Carroll said. “Where we have really put our focus over the season is our draw controls, transitions, and executing our clears. Collectively, the team as a whole is really fast, and I want to capitalize on that.”

In Hand’s most recent contests, the Tigers split a pair of home games against Cheshire and Branford by losing to the Rams and then defeating the Hornets at the Surf Club last week. Hand went on to take a loss at Simsbury in its last game of the stretch.

On May 11, Hand hosted Cheshire and lost the game by the final score of 10-6. Wines and Kokoruda both scored two goals, while Dolan and Houghton netted one goal apiece. Sophomore Shawn Staak had an assist for the Tigers. Senior goalkeeper Wargo made six saves in net.

Two days later, the Hand played a home game versus Branford and claimed a 13-5 victory over the Hornets. Houghton scored four goals to pace the Tigers’ offense, and Doraz had three goals in the win. Kokoruda, Dolan, Kilbourn, and senior attacker Docker added one goal apiece. Wargo made 11 saves to get the win in goal.

Then on May 15, Hand played a road game against Simsbury and dropped a 15-10 decision. The matchup was tied 6-6 at halftime before Simsbury pulled away during the second half. Doraz and Wines each scored three goals for the Tigers in the loss. Dolan had two goals, while Kokoruda and Houghton both scored one goal. Wargo stopped 14 shots for Hand.

As the Tigers look to grab a few more wins before the end of the season, Coach Carroll and her athletes are enjoying the time that they’re spending together on the field this spring. Carroll feels thankful that Hand hasn’t been as affected by COVID-19 as much some lacrosse teams around the state.

“We had one game rescheduled due to the other team testing positive and had a few girls have to quarantine after being contact traced. In comparison to other teams, we have made out OK,” said Carroll. “We love our fans and we really miss the big crowds. You can definitely feel a difference in the energy, especially home games, with the limited spectators.”