The California Lutheran University Regals lacrosse (3-11 overall, 0-9 conference) team faced one of their toughest challenges of the season Wednesday night, falling 17-2 to the No. 10 Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens (12-1 overall, 8-0 conference) at William Rolland Stadium.
Despite the final score, the Regals showed resilience late in the game, particularly on the defensive end. Head Coach MacEllen McDonough said the team prepared to face their nationally ranked opponent by focusing on the goals they set out to accomplish.
“Setting small goals for ourselves and then working with individual players on, like, personal goals too helps,” McDonough said.
Pomona-Pitzer controlled the game early, erupting for 11 goals in the opening quarter. The Sagehens added four goals before the half was over, then added the final two goals of their evening in the third quarter.
Anchored by senior goalkeeper Bella Bravo, the Regals showed significantly improved composure in the second half. Bravo played all 60 minutes in goal, recording five saves and leading the team with six ground balls. Bravo’s presence helped stabilize a defense that ultimately held the Sagehens scoreless in the fourth quarter.
McDonough said the Regals switched up their defense in this game, but that she had confidence in her new defense’s ability to adjust to the Sagehens’ pace of play.
“I knew it was gonna take a little bit to find our groove, but ultimately would be, overall, the smarter defense to play,” McDonough said.
In the third quarter, senior attacker Josie Oparanaku opened the scoring for the Regals with a free-position opportunity goal. Oparanaku said she was proud of her teammates for the effort they put into this game and all year.
“We didn’t give up this game,” Oparanaku said. “We didn’t worry about the score, but we worried about, like, getting better ourselves.”
According to senior attacker Sydney Shin, the main adjustment the Regals made to keep the Sagehens from scoring in the final quarter was “being disruptive on defense.”
“Getting our sticks in the way, forcing the bad passes, and then coming up with the ground balls, … and then capitalizing on offense,” Shin said.
Shin, who reached 100 career points in the Regals’ previous game, added to the total with a goal in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
“That’s a huge accomplishment. I think she’s the first player ever in Regals lacrosse to hit 100 points,” McDonough said. “She’s really been paving the way for this program since her freshman year.”
Shin led the team with three shots Wednesday, while Oparanaku finished with two shots and two points and added two ground balls, playing a key role in both the Regals’ scoring efforts.
The Regals also found success in transition, completing 10 of their 11 clear attempts, and collecting 12 ground balls as a team.
The Regals will look for one last victory at home in their final game of the regular season on Senior Day, Saturday, April 25, against the Occidental College Tigers.
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