East Chapel Hill girls lacrosse buys into team-first mentality

Synergy is the theme for the season for the East Chapel Hill girls lacrosse team: the idea that the sum of the parts of the team are greater than any one person.

The starting lineup has been tweaked for most of the season, and it’s worked to the tune of a 7-2 record.

“We’re really focusing on playing as a team, not just being a team that has one superstar, but playing together and really trying to elevate the level of play of every person on the field by everyone contributing,” first-year coach Jessica-Claire Jones said. “Everybody’s effort matters has been another thing that we’ve talked a lot about, and our goal really is just to try and come out, maintain possession, and get a good shot.”

In a March 21 loss to Carrboro, Jones was encouraged by the performance of her defense that forced the turnovers that transitioned into offense for the rest of her team.

“I told my defenders tonight that the assists on some of those goals belong to you,” Jones said.

Reilly Reed leads the team with 35 goals and 11 assists, while Flynn Reed has 33 goals and 20 assists.

The Wildcats sit in fourth place of Conference 5 with an important game against Chapel Hill looming on April 25. Jones wants to see every opponent that the Wildcats face garner the same level of respect and intensity.

“I think just bringing it every day,” she said. “Whether it’s practice or game, or whether it’s an opponent we think we can beat.”

This story was originally published April 13, 2017 at 2:24 PM with the headline "East Chapel Hill girls lacrosse buys into team-first mentality."