Despite 10-1 start, Sandwich High girls lacrosse still searching for their best game

On paper, a 10-1 start and a top 10 spot in the MIAA Division 4 Power Rankings sounds like a good way to begin the season.

But for the Sandwich High girls lacrosse team, there's plenty of room for improvement. That remained the case on Thursday, even after the Blue Knights, who reached the Final Four last season, defeated Nauset, 8-5, to earn a marquee victory and push their winning streak to five games.

"There's no one on my team that thinks we've had our best game yet," Sandwich coach Kelsey Beaton said. "Every single one on my team knows, yeah, we're winning, it might be a different person having a great game, but we know we can do this, this, and this better."

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Beaton said that's one of her favorite qualities of this year's Sandwich team. The awareness that there's always aspects of their game to improve, makes her proud.

In Thursday's win over the Warriors (6-4), the focus was shot selection.

Although they won the game, eight goals was the Blue Knights lowest output of the season. Beaton felt they left goals on the table, and says that when they take shots, as well as where they aim them, was below their usual standard.

"We struggled with it (shot selection)," Beaton said. "That's usually not a big issue."

Ryann Cobban, who had a hat trick in the win, said after the game that the Blue Knights shot selection in the win wasn't up to par.

"There's a few teams where it could go either way this season, and every goal counts," Cobban said. "I think as a young group in the heat of the moment, we were all a little excited, and wanted to just get them in fast."

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The other area Beaton wants her team to focus on, is consistent effort. The Blue Knights started fast Thursday night, with three goals in the first few minutes, but Beaton wants a more sustained effort.

"I think the last couple games for us we have started that way," Beaton said. "One of the things I just said to my team, is that we need to start and finish. You want to play 50 minutes."

In addition to Cobban's three goals, the Blue Knights also got four from seventh-grader Quinn Anderson, a player who Beaton says fits right in at the varsity level.

"Her stick skills are so developed already. She has a right and a left hand already," Beaton. "She plays loose, she's very skilled, and she has one of the hardest shots on our team."

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While Cobban and Anderson were the stars in Thursday's win, plenty of other Blue Knights had chances offensively. Avery Cobban had the other goal. Nauset goalie Alden Rogers made 12 saves.

Ryann Cobban says the strength of the Blue Knights dynamic offense is the depth.

"It takes a lot of pressure of the whole team, knowing that everybody is capable of scoring and going to net," Ryann Cobban said. "Not many teams have that."

However, as good as Sandwich's offense has been, Beaton felt her team's defense really shined in the win.

Thursday's win was the fifth time this season the Blue Knights have allowed five or fewer goals.

"I think our defense was terrific today," Beaton said. "We were winning those important ground balls in the middle of the eight. ... I feel like that was a big part of our defensive success today, was winning those 50-50 balls."

From the Warriors perspective, coach Heather Stephens was proud of her team's effort.

She operates differently as a head coach. Of course she speaks to her team throughout the game, but has also established a culture where her players can speak for themselves.

"Usually any time we do a timeout or a halftime we give them a couple notes, and then we just let literally anyone, it doesn't have to be captains, (speak). We just say, 'Who has something to say?' and let them say it, because they're the ones that are out there and working together. If they can change for the better, then I'd rather them talk about it than us tell them what to do."

The Warriors got two goals from Sienna Reeves, and individual goals from Bailey Nobili, Allie Higgins, and Zoe Labdon.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Sandwich High girls lacrosse team defeats Nauset