By Andy Walter

SMYRNA — It was only one game, of course.

But Smyrna High’s girls’ lacrosse seniors were 0-3 against Saint Mark’s in their careers.

Last spring, a heart-breaking 9-8 loss to the Spartans in the final game of the regular season kept the Eagles from making the DIAA state tournament.

So when Smyrna turned the tables on Saint Mark’s, rallying to top the Spartans by the same 9-8 score on Monday, there was a certain amount of satisfaction for the Eagles.

“It was very exciting,” said senior attack Abbie Matthews. “It was definitely worked for very hard. We’ve been wanting it for a while.

“It’s always a neck-and-neck game. It was just really exciting coming out on top finally. We’ve all been there.”

“It was awesome,” said senior defender Jana Fretz, “We were all pumped up. Every time we win a game like that, I always say it’s history.

“We like to make history. We had never beat them before (in five all-time tries).”

The victory was certainly a confidence-booster for the Eagles, who won their first three games under first-year head coach Julianna Kolakowski.

A season ago, Smyrna finished 9-6 but still missed out on the state tourney — which it hasn’t made since 2019. The eight seniors on this year’s squad would like to change that.

The Eagles’ Gillian Shane, who finished with five goals, including the game-winner, chases after a groundball on Monday. Submitted photos/George …

A 2018 Smyrna grad, Kolakowski played on the 2016 Eagles’ team that made the program’s first state tournament appearance. She thinks her players’ mental approach to the game is as important as anything.

That’s why Monday’s win over Saint Mark’s was so exciting. Not only did Smyrna have to overcome last year’s loss to the Spartans but it had to rally from an early 4-1 deficit.

“It was tough but I think it gave us some motivation this year,” said Kolakowski, who was an assistant coach on last year’s team. “It lit a fire to turn that around and dig deep.

“It became a mental game this year more than a physical game. I’m so proud of how they hung in through that game.”

With Monday’s contest tied, 8-8, sophomore Gillian Shane netted the game-winner with just four minutes remaining. It was her team-leading fifth goal of the contest and gives her 14 for the season.

Last year, the Eagles played five one-goal games, winning three of them.

Senior defender Addie Whitaker, an honorable mention All-Henlopen Conference selection last spring, is Smyrna’s only returning all-conference player. Along with the eight seniors, the roster includes six sophomores and a freshman.

Ava Pierce (17) keeps an eye on a Spartans’ attacker in the Eagles’ win on Monday. Submitted photo/George Shogan

“It was really hard on us because we worked really hard,” she said. “It was just that last game. But we’re prepared this season, we’re ready.”

“We’ve put so much work into the preseason this year compared to years past,” said Matthews. “A lot of us, we came into this season with a better outlook — so positive. We’re very motivated.”

Smyrna still has plenty of challenges ahead of it. The Eagles finish their Henlopen Conference schedule with probably the league’s two best teams, going to Sussex Academy on May 3 before hosting Cape Henlopen on May 8.

Overall, Smyrna is slated to close its schedule with five games in 10 days.

The Eagles realize they have to keep improving if they want to keep winning games. They’d like to think they learned a lot last season.

“We definitely built that — the mental toughness — coming from last year,” said Whitaker. “We had a tough season.”

“It’s all about being mentally strong,” said Fretz, “I think being mentally strong is way more important than being physically strong.

“I think we kind of let ourselves down and we just kind of accepted our fate last year. But now we’re more determined and ready to get back. It would be real big if we could get there (to the state tournament).”

Smyrna’s Rylee Hutchison (13) and Alexis Hutchison (1) defend against a Saint Mark’s attacker. Submitted photos/George Shogan

Notes

• For the first time since 2008, Cape Henlopen isn’t starting the season as the defending state champion. Tatnall edged the Vikings, 10-9, in the finals last May to snap Cape’s streak of 13 straight state titles.

• The Vikings open the season with four games in a row against Maryland schools.

•Cape Henlopen returns first-team All-Staters: Claire Lopez, Alexi Nowakowski, Montana Jones and Anna Lopez along with second-team picks Carrie Clausius and Grace Wiggins.

•Sussex Academy returns Shelby Manlove (first team) as well as Callie Short and Savannah Montgomery, who were both honorable mention selections.

•Other returning Henlopen Conference players from last year’s All-State team are Caesar Rodney’s Elle Roberts and Dover’s Ashtyn Torbert, who were both on honorable mention last spring. Roberts, a junior, tallied her 100th career goal this week.

•Cape Henlopen hosts Sussex Academy on April 12.