The Edison High varsity girls lacrosse team has concluded its season with a winning record of 9–6, which is their best record and most wins in the history of the program. The team placed second in the White Division for the Greater Middlesex Conference. 

“This season turned out to be one of the best seasons we have had in school history!” said Elizabeth Mellinger ‘24, an attacker. “We worked as hard as we could and we got the outcome we wanted.” 

The team concluded its season with a victory over Hamilton West on May 14th. With the score being tied five points to five at halftime, Edison rallied behind a strong scoring performance from Mellinger to ultimately emerge victorious, ten goals to eight. 

Edison’s season is a story of struggle and perseverance. Going 4–4 to begin their season, the team finished with a division-best 5–2 record over their final seven games. 

“One of the challenging moments was losing the first game of the season,” said captain Christianna Needham ‘22. That game, played on April 2nd, was followed by successive losses to Sayreville and East Brunswick before Edison earned a commanding victory over Ewing on April 11th, their first of the season.

“We finally turned our gears on and we changed the entire vibe of the season around,“ said Needham. 

Playing with each other over the course of fifteen games has allowed the team’s members, all from different grade levels, to bond with each other in a unique way.

“Aside from winning a majority of our games, the bonds I’ve made with some of the girls on the team are basically unbreakable,” said midfielder Emily Pittman ‘23. 

“We had to find our groove and the starting lineup. This process is trial and error, finding what will work and what will not. Once I was able to identify my starters, the chemistry of the team fell into place perfectly,” said Head Coach Ms. Sara Yocum. 

The team is proud of their individual achievements and the team’s clutch wins.  

“My most proud moment was winning on my senior night. It was such a good comeback game for us,” said Andriana Calara ‘22, an attacker. “Also, scoring for the first time this season was a very uplifting moment for me.” 

“My proudest moment was the game against Rutherford. It was a close game, but the team pulled through and we won 9–8,” said Rachael Rodriguez ‘24, a defender. “I was proud of myself too because it was one of my first games playing on defense.” 

“At the home Rutherford game, it was 9–8, and in the last minute, they had a penalty shot. A lot of the time, it’s probably going to go in, because it’s a direct shot. Then I defended it. If they made that, we would’ve tied,” said Idhika Turya ‘24, team goalie. 

The team is especially proud of their win against South Plainfield. 

“We played South Plainfield and beat them for the first time ever in a long time,” said Mellinger. “Our coach couldn’t be more proud of us!” 

“My proudest moment was beating South Plainfield, my alma mater and top team in the division. We won 8–6 on their home field. This was probably the biggest win for us in many ways,” said Yocum. 

Ultimately, the girls’ season can be described in one word: resilience. 

“I lost my father unexpectedly 6 days before the season began. The girls were very supportive and coaching turned into an outlet for me,” said Yocum. “This team will forever have a special place in my heart.”