Westlake might defeat the Trojans in football, they may beat our basketball teams and have one of the most revered athletics programs in the country, but there’s at least one thing they’ve never done: beat Anderson’s varsity in girl’s lacrosse.
After defeating the Chaparrals at St. Stephen’s in 2023 and on home turf in 2024, the Trojans walked into Westlake’s place and took down the Chaps 14-7 to secure their first undefeated season in division 1 and their first time being alone as the district champions.
The Trojans played hard early, earning them a slim halftime lead, but dominant 3rd and 4th quarters is what sealed the victory for Coach Ross and Anderson.
Sophomore Maison Van Den Bossche played the best game of her young career, scoring six goals and picking up a ground ball. She called the win over the Chaps “an unforgettable experience” that she “got to share with [her] teammates” and added that she’s “so proud of this team and [their] accomplishments” that they’ve worked so hard for.
The other star of the game was, per usual, senior Olivia Andrus. The UNC-Charlotte commit netted an additional six goals for the Trojans while securing a team high five draw controls.
Andrus told me that the win “was so exciting and such a team effort.” Furthermore, she’s “so proud that [the team is] district champs and made history.”
Fellow senior captain, Laney Owens, had two crucial assists and called “staying calm and trusting each other” as “the key” to the victory.
As crucial as the offense was in beating Westlake, the defense may have been even more important. The Chaps feature a Dartmouth commit in Mia Jensen, but she was no match for the Trojan defense and Jillian Murphy’s one on one coverage.
Murphy was the unsung hero of this game, leading the defense against Westlake’s star player, while also recording two goals, two assists, two ground balls, a caused turnover and four draw controls. Her ability to excel both offensively and defensively makes her extremely valuable as a midfielder, and is exactly what Coach Ross needed out of Murphy to win this game.
It was a phenomenal effort from the Trojans all around, and they’ll be rewarded with a district championship and a one seed in the playoffs.
It’s a tough road ahead as the Trojans march towards a chance at their second state championship in four seasons and their first at the division 1 level. However this year ends though, these seniors can hang their hats on their dominance against the Chaps. They didn’t lose to Westlake in high school, they didn’t lose to Westlake in youth lacrosse, they didn’t lose to Westlake ever.
