Last Saturday, March 3rd, Yorba Linda High School Women’s lacrosse took off bright and early at 5:00 a.m. to make the journey to Pasadena. Starting off strong with their first game, the Yorba Linda Mustangs won against Simi Valley 10-3. However, being caught up in the game distracted the Mustangs from the fact that while playing, they had been drenched in rain water and splashed with mud.
The field had so many puddles and holes that the tournament supervisors had to outline all the puddles and place cones around the giant ones to prevent any safety issues. Although this was a strong effort, the Mustangs came off the field shivering and soaked.
After the first game, the mustangs huddled in their cars to get warm after being pelted with rain. Since the next game was delayed, some girls like Faith Alam (11), “we were so cold and soaked from the rain, so we drove to the nearest Target to buy towels and ponchos.” Some ingenious Mustangs discovered laundromats for the first time and dried their uniforms, returning to the next two games fully prepared and warm. Once everyone was back at the field, the mustangs were seen sporting ponchos, looking ridiculous, but we were so cold and soaked from the rain, so we drove to the nearest target to buy towels and ponchos went on adventures, till giving the game their all.
Returning to the field for their next game at 11 am, the Mustangs warmed up quickly and took to a very distressed field to play. The field consisted of various muddy puddles surrounding areas all over the field, making it very difficult not to get muddy while playing. The rain fell so heavily at one point that the entire area around the other team’s goal was submerged. When the midfielders came running down the field, they would have to get dirty to get the perfect shot angle. Players like Sora Choi (12) and Lauren Urquico (11) experienced the consequences of scoring when they fell headfirst into mud puddles. However, these sacrifices were not in vain when the Mustangs won against Long Beach Millikan 15-2 again.
By the point of their last game, the Mustangs were tired and ready for hot showers and dry clothes, but they still had work to do. Intricate passes were made, and incredible shots were taken, ensuring the Mustang’s final victory against Santa Monica 13-2.
Although there were complaints about the weather, flops into giant rain puddles, and muddy uniforms, the Mustangs came out happy and victorious at the end of the day. The girls bonded with their teammates as they huddled under the easy-up, drying their socks with an electric heater. They enjoyed snacks and laughs as they sat by and waited for their next game. Overall, the Rose Bowl Tournament brought a sense of joyous euphoria to the Mustangs, who never gave up, even in the cold and hurtful rain.
