On the evening of Tuesday Feb. 25, 2025, the Berkeley High School girls varsity lacrosse team faced off against Newark Memorial High School. Both teams entered the match with energy and determination in their second league game of the season. Head Coach Michaela Guerrera emphasized the importance of maintaining discipline and not underestimating the competition. “You always have to play at a high level; you can’t step down to their level,” Guerrera said. Fortunately for her, the team followed through, relentlessly plowing down the field and applying constant pressure on the opposing defense throughout the game.
The match started with a fast break from BHS, as attacker Nell Shear turned the first possession into an immediate goal. “We did a really good job limiting (our opponents’) fast breaks and immediately scoring a goal, and that’s due to communication and our overall chemistry as a team,” BHS sophomore Violet Potts said. Thanks to strong midfielders and attackers, BHS maintained an aggressive offensive presence that kept the ball on the other team’s side for the majority of the first quarter. Invigorated by the sudden swing in momentum, BHS pulled ahead with flawless passing and more strong goals, ending the first quarter with a decisive lead.
In the second quarter, BHS was slightly overconfident, giving the opponents too many opportunities to make plays. While BHS’s offense continued to dominate with long-distance passes and constant movement around the goal, their defense struggled, allowing the opponents to find the net multiple times, bringing the halftime tally to 9-4, in BHS’s favor. “We wanted to lift up the energy, because we were feeling a little down. We were obviously winning, but it didn’t feel like our best performance, so we wanted to change the momentum in our favor,” Potts said.
Coming into the second half, BHS’s energy was renewed, and fans cheered as Potts won the face-off and quickly drove down the field. Weaving through defenders, Potts fired a low shot to the right side of the goal, slipping by two defenders and the goalkeeper to score the first goal of the half.
Just as BHS’s spirits were starting to soar, the referees began calling an unprecedented number of penalties. Possession after possession was lost, putting pressure on the Jackets’ defense and draining morale. “A lot of these referees, they either have personal grudges, or they’re kind of just here to get paid, you know, and so … we just have to shake it off,” BHS sophomore Annika Silverstrim said.
Despite frequent questionable calls from the referees, Coach Guerrera challenged her team to stay composed. Even with the penalties, BHS pushed through and decisively won 17-6.
Looking ahead, the team is focused on chemistry and strengthening their mindset, especially when facing adversity. “I think just more community in the team, more positivity and positive affirmations will help us a lot,” BHS senior and goalkeeper Tallulah Andersen said.