The San Diego High School Cavers girl’s lacrosse team opened their season against Santana in their first game of the year. Although the Cavers lost the game 1 to 11, players and coaches said the game was an important opportunity to gain experience and see what the team could work on improving moving forward.
Player No. 25: Vivy Cilio said the game had some frustrating moments, but the team remained focused and kept pushing through until the end.
“It was a frustrating and complicated game,” Cilio said. “But overall I think I did good.”
One of the biggest moments for Cilio came when she took a penalty shot during the game with everyone watching.
“It was really in the moment. All eyes were on me,” Cilio said. “After scoring, I felt relieved.”
Cilio said the team worked hard to stay positive and support one another, especially since it was their very first game together this season.
“I think we did really good on not giving up,” Cilio said. “Everyone was being supportive since it was our first game.”
Head coach Sophia Cardone said she noticed the team improving as the game continued. According to Cardone, players started spreading out more on the field and communicating better with each other.
“They started to spread out, communicate more, and play more aggressively,” Cardone said. “You could see them learning as the game went on.”
Cardone also pointed out players who stood out during the game. Ryan Rodriguez stepped into a midfield role during her first game and quickly adjusted, while goalkeeper Leilani Sykes made several key saves under pressure.
“This was their first game and they both did amazing,” Cardone said.
Cardone explained that Santana had already played several games earlier in the season and had players with more experience, which made the matchup challenging for the Cavers.
Even with the loss, the team stayed motivated and continued working together throughout the game.
Cilio said communication and team support helped keep everyone focused despite the challenges during the game.
“I think communication helped us stay focused,” Cilio said. “We kept reminding each other not to get down on ourselves.”
Cardone agreed that the team’s attitude was one of the most positive takeaways from the game.
“My biggest message is that I’m proud of them,” Cardone said. “They never gave up.”
Both Cilio and Cardone rated the team’s performance around a seven out of ten and said the game helped highlight areas the team can improve before their next game. Despite the tough start to their season, The Cavers stay focused on building confidence and continuing to grow throughout the season.
