It might be surprising to think that for as much success as the Mamaroneck girls’ lacrosse program has had over the last several years, the school has never fielded a team that has reached a Section I title game. That may change this year.
The Tigers come into the Class A playoffs playing some of their best lacrosse of the spring.
Closing out the regular season with decisive wins over league foes White Plains and Ursuline, Mamaroneck finished the campaign with a 12-4 record, good enough for a No. 2 seed in the Class A playoffs, which kick off on Friday, May 18.
But more important than the gaudy record or the high seeding is the momentum the Tigers seem to be carrying into the postseason, having won eight of their last nine games. Their recent play has proven definitively that they have moved past an early-season malaise that saw them drop three of four.
“I think that stretch was the turning point of the season for us, it was needed,” Mamaroneck head coach Rocky Lividini said. “I think it’s shown how well we have adjusted since the beginning of the season and how hard these girls are willing to work.”
Their final two wins of the season, an 18-8 victory over White Plains and a 16-3 drubbing of Ursuline highlight the strides the team has made. The last time Mamaroneck played those opponents, in the midst of their swoon, the Tigers only managed to beat them by a combined six goals.
“Even in a couple of the games we won you saw how we were affected,” Lividini said. “Against Ursuline [On May 12] you saw we were able to pressure them a little bit more since we got over that rough patch.”
In fact, since April 21, the only loss the Tigers have suffered has come at the hands of Class A top seed North Rockland, as the Red Raiders used a strong second half to edge a Mamaroneck team that many expect to be their top challengers for a Section I crown.
“Our game against North Rockland, even though it was a loss, gave us a lot of confidence and we know we have the ability to beat them if we hopefully see them again,” Lividini said. “The girls really want to reach the title game for the first time in program history, but obviously we have to set short term goals and get through these games first.”
The Tigers first postseason test will be against No. 7 New Rochelle (5-11), a team Mamaroneck has already beaten. Although her team previously topped the Huguenots handily, Lividini is adamant that Mamaroneck isn’t looking past its first round foe.
“We’re just taking it one game at a time, we have a long week of practice ahead of us,” the coach said. “We’re definitely not perfect so we want to work on our offensive sets, looking for our third and fourth options and staying in shape by playing in game situations.”
