Nipmuc racked up 16 wins in regular season

The Nipmuc girls lacrosse team put together a 16-2 regular season on the strength of experienced veterans and talented younger players.

Head coach Grace Merten had to use several eighth-grade players on last year’s squad, and the crop of freshmen this year was experienced and ready to take on bigger roles.

“I knew we were going to be good,” Merten said. “It was a matter of the younger girls figuring out their place on the team and becoming more confident. But they adjusted very well.” She added, “They are confident now, and it shows.”

The young players have had the benefit of following the example of the more experienced members of the team. 

“For almost every senior, we have a freshman who plays the same position and has been mentored by their older teammate,” Merten said. “It just kind of happened naturally because they play the same position.”

One of those seniors, Jayden Lilburn, is committed to play lacrosse in college. She was the team’s leading scorer this year, and Merten said she won an “insane amount” of draw controls.

Senior defender Maddie Weibe and senior attack Riley Collura were two more highly important players. Merten praised Weibe for her leadership and said Collura was the team’s primary assist player this year, feeding her teammates for scoring opportunities.

Junior Ana Tengler is another strong defensive player who played a big role this spring in front of goalie Charlotte Corbin, another junior who drew high praise from her coach. “Part of the reason we have had the success we had is because of her,” Merten said. 

Merten said the team started to gel after scoring some wins over powerhouses like Wayland and Dover-Sherborn, the latter of which won three state titles in a row.

“We told them they had a ton of potential, and I think they knew it, but it can be tough to really believe until you see the outcome of that potential,” Merten said. “We started winning those games and they realized they had the ability to go far. We realized the potential that we have.”

Coming into the year, Nipmuc had never made it two rounds in the postseason, and that goal was still top of mind for Merten and her team as the tournament began.

But she emphasized that the team likes to focus on the process of becoming better. 

“We like to set small goals,” she said. “And, every time we achieve them, we set another one.”