The MIHS Girls Lacrosse team lost the state championship game 7-8 to Seattle Prep Friday, May 17. The game was a reversal of last season’s results, when Mercer Island defeated Prep and were crowned champions.

MI started the game off strong, dominating the attack despite being unable to solidify a lead. They bypassed Seattle Prep’s aggressive defense but let some opposing goals through, bringing the score to 4-4 at halftime.

MI scored one goal early in the second half, but quickly switched to a defensive role as Prep scored one goal after another, bringing the score to 5-8.

“I’d also say the energy wasn’t there on the field … a lot of us were also so scared with the Starfire energy,” Cho said.

MI scored twice more, but time ran out just as they were one short of an equalizer. Prep’s fans immediately mobbed the field, celebrating their team’s first state title since 2003.

“I think some things that definitely contributed was being overprepared,” senior captain Chelsea Cho said. “I feel like we were doing so many things at practice and talking about it during school. We got into our heads and it just makes you super stressed and we weren’t playing normally.”

While her last game playing for MI wasn’t everything she’d hoped, Cho remains grateful for her time playing high school lacrosse.

“Overall, meeting my best friends — everyone on the team is people I’d talk to again; seeing them at school and saying hi,” Cho said. “We all have the same interests, and having that, especially when I was younger, having the older girls, that was super cool. I love my friends.”