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# ConVal girls lacrosse had sights set on bigger things
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/conval-girls-lacrosse-had-sights-set-on-bigger-things/
- Published: 2020-05-28T17:00:01.000Z
- Updated: 2020-05-28T17:00:01.000Z
- Description: Timing has not been on the side of the ConVal High School girls lacrosse team in recent years. Two seasons ago, the Cougars were a nine-win team in a deep Division III, making the playoffs before falling to Derryfield in the quarterfinals. That 2018 team had a couple of hundred goal scorers and woul
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division II, ConVal, Cougars, girls lacrosse, NH High School Sports Insider, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

Timing has not been on the side of the ConVal High School girls lacrosse team in recent years.

Two seasons ago, the Cougars were a nine-win team in a deep Division III, making the playoffs before falling to Derryfield in the quarterfinals.

That 2018 team had a couple of hundred goal scorers and would have been competitive in Division II, according to Cougars coach Derek Sorbello, but those scoring threats graduated and ConVal was bumped up to D2 for the 2019 season.

Despite plenty of new faces on varsity, the Cougars complied a 6-8 record last season and were a win or two away from getting into the playoffs. This year, ConVal had 17 returning varsity players, six of whom were seniors, and despite losing junior Madelynn Plourde, and leading scorer, in the offseason to an injury, Sorbello felt good about 2020.

"This year, we had our sights on entering the playoffs, for sure," he said. "We had a lot of motivated returners and a lot of them started playing in the fall. There was a lot of optimism."

But with the season cancelled in mid-April due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will always be a question of what could have been.

"What would have happened," Sorbello said. "With some of the players, they were just getting to that point where they were about to kick it to the next level. It's a lot of the reason why you coach, to see players excel. There were several players I was looking forward to see where they took it this season."

That included a large group of incoming players - Sorbello guesses as many as 20 - which would have allowed ConVal to have more than just a varsity team.

"Last year, we had one team and barely had enough," senior Brooke Ellis said. "This year it was like 'what happened, where did all these kids come from?'

"The standard was set high. We worked extremely hard in the offseason, especially the younger kids who stepped up. We all knew this year was going to be the peak."

After getting a year to familiarize with the teams in D2, Sorbello felt he and his team would be better prepared for what this season would throw at them. Outside of Coe-Brown, who also moved up last year, there wasn't a team the Cougars had played in the regular season on their schedule.

"We knew who they were, and you look at records and read articles, but until you get on the field, that's when you really know," he said. "It would have been good this year to know what to expect.

"There was a lot more confidence going in this year. I think it would have been more of a fight with other teams."

While Sorbello has his fingers crossed that all of those newcomers are back to prepare for a 2021 season, Ellis believes the desire to be a part of Cougars lacrosse is there.

"It's a really good sign," she said. "Next year there will be way more kids and they'll be super excited."

For Ellis, the cancellation of the season was disappointing, but after New Hampshire switched to remote learning in mid-March, it was less of a surprise.

"This was going to be the best year and it got cut short so fast," she said. "I didn't expect to go back, but I wanted to have hope for it and stay positive. That's all you can do."

Sorbello has used Zoom to keep in touch with the team and share skill challenges for the players. Many of them have sent back videos of themselves completing the challenges, and even shots of their unsuccessful attempts.

"They will send back their own little videos of stick tricks and bloopers reels," he said. "Anything to keep it going a little bit. Everyone is in the same boat, regardless of what you do, whether it's arts or music or theater. I feel bad for the senior class in general."

Of ConVal's seniors - Emma Hixson, Lucy Civitella, Mackenzie Ledger, Marina McMahon and Jacqueline Madeja are the others - only Ellis is continuing to play in college at Keene State, despite having not played lacrosse until getting to high school.

"This would only have been my fourth year playing," Ellis said. "I never assumed i'd go anywhere with it. I emailed a bunch of coaches and heard from Keene State, which was where I wanted to end up.

"In my case, it's not the worst thing. It's sad, but I still have next year and trying to get better for myself, that's really helped me through this."