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Sports

Cal High Women's Lacrosse Takes Season Opener

The Grizzlies defeat the Granada Matadors in the first league game of the year.

The California High School women's lacrosse team battled out a 14-11 win against the Granada Matadors in the teams' first EBAL match of the season on Tuesday night.

Both Cal and Granada came into the game with undefeated preseason records and high expectations.

The Matadors (5-1 overall, 0-1 EBAL) took control of the game early, scoring the first two goals and leading 8-7 at the half. But in the second half, the Grizzlies (5-0 overall, 1-0 EBAL) came out fighting, taking a 10-8 lead.

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Granada was able to tie it up at 10-10 with nine minutes left, but Cal retaliated with three straight goals to cinch the victory.

"The first half we really controlled the tempo, but the second half we just didn't," said Michelle Olson, Granada's head coach. "We came out strong, but they scored those three quick goals on us, and we never recovered."

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Cal head coach Scott Corso conceded that the Matadors were in control for a considerable amount of the game.

"We were trying to play our defense like we wanted to, but they were controlling the tempo, which makes it hard," he said.

But according to both coaches, the Grizzlies came out on top where it counts the most: draw controls and groundball pickups. A draw occurs at the start of each half and every time a goal is scored, consisting of two opposing players facing off for possession of the ball. Groundballs occur when the ball has fallen on the ground, and players are fighting to scoop it up.

Though possession time was split more or less evenly, Cal won several key draws which led to goals, said Olson. Junior Avi Feldman played a huge part in the Grizzly victory with seven draw controls in the game, earning her the game ball.

Both Corso and Olson said that though Tuesday's result was important, anything could happen in the coming weeks.

"We go game by game," Corso said. "In EBAL you can't rest or look too far ahead."

Last season, Granada finished second to last in EBAL with only two league wins. With their outstanding preseason and led by UC Berkeley-bound senior Hayley Olson, the Matadors have already proven that this year they have the athleticism and skill to produce better results.

For the Grizzlies, last year spelled heartbreak, as they lost to league rival Monte Vista in the NCS Finals. With returning star seniors Stacy Corich and Jocelyn Algieri, they hope to return to the championship game but with a different finish.

The Grizzlies play Amador Valley on Friday at Cal High.

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