Windham girls’ lacrosse aims for a strong season

By Matt Pascarella

The Windham girls’ lacrosse team showed they will be quite a force this spring. In a preseason game against Thornton Academy in Saco on Monday April 4, Windham showed the Trojans they could compete.

Windham High junior Ashley Clark gets around a defender
during a preseason varsity girls' lacrosse game against
Thornton Academy in Saco on Monday, April 4. 
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

The Lady Eagles were neck-and-neck with Thornton Academy in the first half and tied them shortly before the end of the half.

Windham would tie the game with the Trojans several times before Thornton Academy managed to slip by 8-6 at the buzzer.

Windham girls’ lacrosse coach Matt Perkins said the team had great hustle and communication. He said they have three returning starters, which is great.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, but very happy with their attitude,” said Perkins. “They work hard, they’re wicked coachable, all the things that we want. If you have kids that do those two things than there’s no ceiling. Good things are going to happen.”

Windham pressured early and throughout the game. Right away, the Lady Eagles quickly gained possession in the first half and had multiple shots at goal.

Windham moved the ball well and although Thornton Academy took a small lead early on, Windham did not let them remain ahead.

The Lady Eagles shortly answered to tie the game up. Every time the Trojans scored in the first half; it wasn’t long until a Lady Eagle found the back of the net.

The Trojans would put two more in the net during the first half, but Windham was right there and tied up the game at three. At the half, Thornton Academy led 4-3.

“We definitely work together as a team pretty well,” said Windham senior Sidney McCusker. “We’re doing a really good job on defense; we could definitely work better on communication, but overall ... I feel like our zone [defense] is working really well.”

In the second half, the Lady Eagles remained very aggressive and wasted no time going right to Thornton Academy’s goal. They succeeded, scored and tied the game at four.

Windham defense prevented scoring opportunities early in the second half, but Thornton Academy did score a few goals part-way into the half to take a small lead. Windham scored a couple more times and showed the Trojans they are solid contenders.

“I think we’re doing really well and we’re going to have a really good season and it’s a really good group of girls,” said Windham sophomore Emma Ammons. <