After a season full of perseverance and diligence, the first-ever MIA girl’s lacrosse season has come to an end. On April 5th, the season officially closed, but this does not mark the end of an era.
The Lady Rays’ first season was a total success. The girls won their first game against Immokalee this year, making history for the Rays. The progress of the girls’ skills within the team also increased dramatically, and the season truly paved the way for future girls lacrosse players.
In February, when the season started, over half the girls had never played before. Yet, when the season ended, the team as a whole improved, working hard at achieving a better concept of the sport.
One honorable player mentioned throughout the season is the girl’s lacrosse goalie, junior Lily Tessarzik. Lily took on the position without prior experience, allowing this past year to serve as her inaugural season.
“I have loved being goalie for these girls this past season, and they have given me an insane amount of support. I was very hesitant at first because the goalie was a drastically different position than the striker for soccer, but with the help of my team and amazing support from my coaches, I have fallen in love with the position and can’t wait for next season,” said Tessarzik.
The Lady Ray’s team captains’, juniors Jessica Vorderstrasse and Noa Batlle, led the team strongly throughout their first season. Vorderstrasse has played lacrosse for multiple years and was very eager to play for the Rays when the team was announced. Batlle has similar prior experience with the sport, playing last year for Lely High School, and was also very enthusiastic about joining the Lady Rays on their home field.
Both girls emphasized the passion and pride they felt to be able to represent Marco Island Academy with a team on their home soil.
“I loved watching everybody progress throughout the season. Seeing the improvement that we, as a team, have made is inspiring and I can’t wait for next season,” Vorderstrasse recalls moments from the season.
Batlle recalls her favorite memory along with what her motivation was throughout the season. “My favorite memories were the car rides to the games. Practicing with the girls on the team always felt like we were hanging out.”
Head Coach Kyle Ginther elaborated on what it felt like to be a part of MIA’s first girls’ lacrosse team, a monumental addition to MIA’s athletic department.
“It was amazing seeing all the different pieces come together and seeing different sports groups join under the lacrosse banner. I loved the team atmosphere that we made and cannot wait to start back up next year.”
The MIA Girls Lacrosse season concluded with a group of hardworking, resilient athletes who were stronger than ever. Playing on the field taught the Lady Rays that with dedication and support, they could succeed in a new sport and face challenges with determination, hard work, and patience. Next season, the team is hoping to welcome even more girls to the Lady Rays family and begin a new chapter of MIA history.
