Anderson Athletics has a busy slate across the board tonight. While Baseball has a day off, Girls’ Lacrosse and Girls’ Soccer both have huge matchups this evening.
Girls’ Lacrosse faces Westlake in a neutral site matchup at St. Stephen’s at 8:00 PM. The Chaparrals are 5-1-0 and rank 12th in the state. While certainly a formidable opponent for the Trojans, Anderson itself ranks 3rd in the state. The Trojans are led by an elite group of attackers including Harper Jones who’s potted 32 goals on the season, Laney Owens (team-leading 19 assists), and Chloe Page (team-leading 37 points). Anderson also features a strong backend with goalie Emma Betke (Southwestern commit), defender Katie Rich (Monmouth commit), and midfielder Annie Small (Dartmouth commit, 34 points).
Westlake’s team is headlined by sophomore Mia Jensen who has a remarkable 39 points in 6 games and will be a tough guard for the Trojans tonight. Shutting her down will be key to earning an impressive victory tonight. She’s also the Chaps main draw taker and has won 43 of her faceoffs this season. Westlake’s only loss this season was a 10-9 defeat against #16 Keller, they also own impressive wins against the likes of #23 McKinney (15-9), #17 Flower Mound, and #14 St. Michael’s.
Despite the magnitude of the lacrosse game, Girls’ Soccer faces an even bigger matchup tonight. It’s the first round of the state playoffs, and the Trojans will face #11 Round Rock, a squad many believe to be the top team in Central Texas. While the Dragons are certainly a tough matchup, anything can happen this time of year. Anderson will look to pull the upset by riding on the back of an elite defense that has given up just 15 goals all season.
The game is at 8:00 PM at House Park, and if the Trojans are going to beat Round Rock, they’re going to need the home-field advantage in full effect. So show up, be loud, and cheer on Anderson as they look to advance further into the playoffs. If not, head over to St. Stephen’s and see a top-15 matchup between the Trojans and the Chaps. Overall, Thursday is shaping up to be a pivotal night of games that you won’t want to miss.
