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04/14/2024 11:46 PMFollowing a tough campaign in 2023, the Valley Regional girls’ lacrosse team returns a very strong core of returning athletes this spring who are wiser and hungrier to wash out the taste of last season, with the addition of a new mentor to guide them to a revitalization.
As the new leader at the helm along the sidelines, Head Coach Alex Rose maintained that he wants to pull the Warriors upwards to the upper echelon of Shoreline Conference and Class S clubs. Yet he also knows it starts at the ground level by building a grand surge of synergy all across the team.
“We want to become a more well-rounded, strong fundamental lacrosse team–starting from the foundation and building upwards,” said Rose. “We want to work on becoming a closer knit team. We took a trip to the Yale vs. Brown lacrosse game to encourage team bonding. We want to build a strong sense of team camaraderie. Making the Shoreline and state tournaments are our ultimate goals. We are trying to build a program here, and we want everyone to buy into it.”
Valley deploys a senior captain along with a tandem of junior leaders to make up a tri-captain unit. Senior Rowan Pilon returns on the attack to light up the offense, while junior Lucy Resnisky will be between the pipes, and classmate Lily Bragdon will back her up on the defensive front. Junior midfielder Grace Lunz will also serve in a team leadership role for the club.
“Rowan Pilon is a leader on the field and off, and she is basically like having another coach on the field. She quarterbacks our offense. Lucy Resnisky is a good communicator and excellent leader. Lucy's motivational spirit keeps the team focused and energized,” said Rose. “Lily Bragdon consistently brings a positive attitude to the field, uplifting her teammates with her enthusiasm. Lily is also a very coachable player who is always eager to learn and improve her skills . Grace Lunz is a natural leader on and off the field. She leads by example and has a powerful shot and excellent field awareness. She is also becoming stronger at the draw, which is how we will control the ball and the game.”
Grace Ishman will be a hybrid force, stretching herself between the attack portion of the turf while being a midfielder. A sophomore duo will look to also help facilitate the ball towards tallies with Emily Atwood at midfield and midfielder/attacker Belle Rice. Macy Rock (as an attacker) and Ava Cannon (for the defense) look to be freshman phenoms that will bolster the future of the group.
“Grace Ishman leads by example and shows a lot of commitment to the team through offseason work,” said Rose. “Emily Atwood has excellent speed, and she will be a huge player in our midfield group. Belle Rice is possibly our best dodger; she has many moves, she has excellent field awareness and brings a positive energy to our team. Macy Rock has excellent stick skills and should be a big contributor for us this year on offense. Ava Cannon is one of our strongest defenders; she is a ball hawk and isn't afraid to get in there and be tough with opponents.”
Valley will look to get back to the postseason party by battling a regular season loaded with formidable league rivals that include Cromwell, Old Saybrook, and Morgan. Rose maintained that the girls will aim to develop new tactics and strategies to produce winning plays while learning much more about each other’s tendencies, as they look to emerge as one of the up-and-coming clubs in the conference.
“I think this team can achieve a lot this year. They have laid the foundation for us that we will all continue to build on,” said Rose. “The team will be hungry to win and improve upon their performance from last season. We will look for the team to implement new offensive or defensive strategies, leading to a more dynamic and effective playing style. We expect the squad to be a team on the rise. This season will likely be about building upon their strengths, learning from past experiences, and developing into a cohesive and competitive unit, both on and off the field.”
While Rose is in his first year at Valley, he comes into the fold with 17 years of playing experience, and he is assisted by John Iacobellis, who holds five years of youth lacrosse coaching experience. Still, no matter their resumes, they will look to lean on the veterans of the squad to guide the underclassmen and strengthen the entire entity towards common goals.
“The girls who have been here have laid this team's foundation down, and we are extremely confident they will teach our 12 freshmen and five sophomores the correct way to do things,” said Rose. “They all have put in the effort this offseason by playing together in Montville and going to weekday practices with Coach Darrel from Assumption College. We know they will continue to build on that this year. All the credit goes to these girls who have been here putting in the work they need to do to get better.”
The 2024 Valley Regional girls’ lacrosse team roster is comprised of senior Pilon; juniors Ishman, Lunz, Lucy Resnisky, Bragdon; sophomores India Sharp, Rice, Antonia Marchese, Atwood, Cannon; plus freshmen Mackenzie Anselmo-DePasquale, Sidney Archer, Kayleigh Cornett, Karlee Cutler, Anne Keck, Josephina McGee, Marina Morgan, Sarah Pinski, MaiLi Quale, Lily Resniski, and Rock.
2024 Valley Regional Girls’ Lacrosse Regular Season Schedule and Results
Tuesday, April 16: vs. Old Saybrook at 3:45 p.m.
Thursday, April 18: vs. New London at 3:45 p.m.
Saturday, April 20: at Morgan at Indian River Complex at 11 a.m.
Tuesday, April 23: at Haddam-Killingworth at 4 p.m.
Thursday, April 25: vs. Morgan at 3:45 p.m.
Friday, April 26: vs. Cromwell at 3:45 p.m.
Saturday, April 27: vs. Somers at 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 30: vs. Old Lyme at 3:45 p.m.
Thursday, May 2: at Cromwell at 4 p.m.
Saturday, May 4: at Somers at 11 a.m.
Tuesday, May 7: at New London at 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 9: at North Branford at 6 p.m.
Friday, May 10: at Old Lyme at 4 p.m.
Monday, May 13: vs. Haddam-Killingworth at 3:45 p.m.
Thursday, May 16: at Old Saybrook at 7 p.m.