On Saturday 17 January, St Mary’s hosted an exciting day of competitive lacrosse, with more than 400 players from 26 teams representing five different schools competing for the SMC Lacrosse Tournament Cup. The Beversbrook site was buzzing with excitement as teams took to the field and spectators lined the sidelines, cheering on the players.
The U18A competition showcased a fantastic level of play, with the seniors putting on an impressive display of skill and ability. The SMC team opened against Westonbirt and, after going a goal down, rallied through goals from Esme H and Ada R before Baylee E converted just before the final whistle to secure a first-game win. Matches against Sherborne and Marlborough saw SMC take early leads, but the opposition outscored them in the second halves. In their final game against CLC, the team stepped up to deliver a strong 3–1 win. With two wins and two one-goal losses, the team finished second overall.
The senior B team competed in a strong group that also included the SMC C team. There were excellent performances and memorable moments from players across both squads. The B team recorded standout wins against Westonbirt and Sherborne to finish the day in second place, while the C team celebrated an impressive draw with Westonbirt’s B team, a significant achievement for the group.
For the U15 team, their first match was against Westonbirt, aware that this would be a tough game. Kitty F, Capi P and Aline V worked tirelessly in midfield, while both the defence and attack showed real determination in a fast-paced, end-to-end contest. Carrying that effort into their next match, the team followed new instructions and played with greater composure but were unfortunate to lose narrowly to Marlborough by a single goal. This setback motivated them for the final two fixtures: a closely fought match against CLC, followed by an excellent 5–0 victory over Sherborne.
The U14 team had an excellent afternoon at the SMC Cup. They worked well as a team, put all their skills and knowledge into each game and this paid off. They won all four games, meaning they won their section. Bea B made some excellent saves and the attacks scored some brilliant goals, even some of the defence players scored.
The Lower School did themselves proud on Saturday, scoring over 20 goals across the teams and showing excellent team spirit both on and off the pitch. Maisie was the top goal scorer for the U12s, while the U13s shared their goals among the team. The U12s began the day with a well-fought draw against Westonbirt, followed by a fantastic win over CLC. The U13s narrowly lost to Westonbirt but bounced back in impressive style with a 10-goal victory against CLC. We were blown away by their enthusiasm and the progress they have made since last term.
It was a fantastic day of lacrosse for all with incredible match play for the spectators to enjoy. Thank you to the St Mary’s community for supporting the event and we look forward to more lacrosse fixtures this term.
Mr David Abini
Head of Lacrosse
