The Pascack Valley Girls Lacrosse Team was a dominant team all season, finishing with a 14-3 record in addition to notching an undefeated record in its division. The team’s season ended in a quarterfinal state tournament defeat against Summit, ranked No.1 in New Jersey according to nj.com.

While proud of her team’s performance on the field, head coach Melissa Velez was equally impressed with the upbeat energy of the team. 

“This year is not just about our record,” Velez said. “It’s the fact that I have almost forty girls out there putting on a happy face and wanting to be out there every single day.”

This positive environment was achieved through a level of camaraderie amongst the team that hasn’t been seen often. 

“I can say that in my 15 years here, I may have had two other teams where something like this has happened: where everything just meshes,” Velez said.

Senior goalie Morgan Jones is also proud of the team’s energy and positivity, which was a mainstay throughout the season. 

“That’s what I’ll miss most about this team: that it didn’t feel like a chore any day,” Jones said. “You could have the worst practice ever, but you’ll still have those teammates who’ll lift you up.”

Senior midfielder Bella Alepa reiterated the strong relationships that were built.

“We all just got along, and I feel like we all became really good friends throughout the season,” Alepa said. 

What was also unique about the PV Girls Lacrosse Team this year was the age composition of the team. 

“I only have three or four starting seniors, and the rest are all freshmen and sophomores,” Velez said. 

As only a few seniors earned consistent minutes, the underclassmen stepped up this season with major contributions. Sophomores Courtney Pelisson and Ella Saxon led the team in points with 58 and 44 points, respectively. 

With such a large and talented pool of underclassmen, leadership this year was a necessity for the team’s success. The seniors guided the team, while also giving room for the younger players’ involvement. 

“We have a pretty young team, so the sophomores really stepped up in leadership too,” senior Jayden Rosenthal commented. “The seniors we had this year were really always flexible and open to new ideas and new plays that sophomores and freshmen had to offer.”

Velez credited the impact this year’s seniors had on the team.

“I think it takes a special senior group to make every grade level feel comfortable on the team,” Velez said.